The Reaction Factor
by alance07
Summary: Takes place after the sequel. The brotherhood is back and has even more reasons to hate mankind, but as their latest plan unfolds Toad finds himself in an unlikely situation with the daughter of the man he's been assigned to ruin. (ToadOC) FINISHED
1. Default Chapter

Summary: Takes place after the sequel. The brotherhood is back and has even more reasons to hate mankind. But while an important decision lye's in the hands of an open-minded senator. His daughter meets our favorite amphibian man and a friendship occurs...or is it more than friendship? (Features Toad/OC)  
  
Disclaimer: I'm so freaken poor I can barely afford this computer. What makes you people think I could even possibly own anything...oh wait I own the Johnson family...hehehe...my bad.  
  
Please review! For the love of Ray Park people come on!!!!  
  
The lady newscaster shifted uncomfortably as if she knew something her viewers didn't. She stiffened her expression however and allowed her eyes to become unreadable to her emotions. But even as she continued along with her story the sadness in her voice could not be hidden.  
  
"Although scientists and researchers claim that the potential virus is not lethal to the average human being, the side effects are and could be extremely dangerous if the unfortunate situation occurred where a human was exposed to the disease. For mutants however if indeed infected with this disease it would only kill them within a matter of hours. Is this totally correct doctor?" She swallowed hard and looked to the small man to her right as she held the microphone out to him.  
  
"Well yes Linda, In fact that is the particular case. But we have to remember that this summum is only for the most dangerous of situations involving mutants, we have to remind ourselves that this virus will absolutely not be absolved by any human being. And it's not as though this will be available on a shelf at every drug store for any person to simply buy for precaution's sake." He said with a certain smugness that clearly expressed he enjoying the idea of being on t.v.  
  
"This product will only be available for government officials, and the only reason for the necessity of this invention is for the protection of the public..."  
  
However that was the last sentence the annoying man could propose before the screen of the t.v. Shattered into hundreds of pieces by a small, enraged, green fist. As the pieces of the television fell to the floor the owner of the fist sighed and looked down at his abnormal hand. Blood covered his already sore knuckles, but he barely noticed it compared to his heaving breath. Before he had time to examine his hand further however he was interrupted by a tall, blue skinned beauty who rolled her eyes at his latest tantrum.  
  
"You know that's not exactly the most mature approach..." She said calmly while silently folding her arms over her chest.  
  
"They'll kill us all if we don't do something..." He said in barely a whisper looking at the stained tile that lied beneath his feet.  
  
"Don't worry." She said simply walking over and grabbing his shoulders.  
  
He turned to meet her cold yellow eyes. "We will." Her smirk grew at his confusion. "Meet the rest of us in the board room in ten minutes." She said silkily walking out of the room. But she stopped momentarily to hang lazily on the doorway.  
  
"We have plans to discuss..." But before he could lift his head to reply she had already gone, leaving him to watch as the tile became even more discolored as proof of his loss of control.  
  
"Rubbish!" Exclaimed Robert Jackson as he violently turned off the television. "How can some of these people actually believe that there won't be a mistake made?" He asked angrily to no one in particular. His wife however answered even though she knew he hadn't really expected her to.  
  
"Because they don't know any better?" She asked with slight amusement in her voice at her husband's attitude.  
  
Robert sighed and slowly got up from the recliner he had been sitting on. "You know Sarah...this is just becoming so out of hand I'm unsure of what I should believe in anymore." He walked into the kitchen where his patient wife was silently preparing dinner. He grabbed himself a chair at the small breakfast nook he had built for this wife for their following anniversary. He smiled at the memory but the thought of obligation came back to him in full force. His brow wrinkled at the decision that lied in front of him. There was so much to consider, and the fact was with every day he changed his mind. As a state official he knew he had an obligation to the people. But what did that mean? Either way there was no escaping the fact that with either way the vote went...people were going to get hurt. He sighed and closed his hands around his forehead.  
  
His wife noticing his uneasiness smiled slowly and wiped her hand on a nearby dishtowel only to be placed moments later on her husband's shoulders, and rested her head onto his. Noticing her natural scent he looked up slowly and smiled.  
  
"I honestly can't even imagine how much pressure you must be under right now. Things are incredibly hecktic. Just know that no matter what happens, you have a family that loves you deeply and trusts you to make a sensible decision." She sat on the chair beside him.  
  
"I know that, Eva knows that..." But Mrs. Jackson's encouraging words were interrupted by the family dog Bruno running through the kitchen clearly eager to be greeted by the authorities of the house.  
  
"And Bruno knows that too." Said Mrs. Jackson although she was barely understandable through her laugher. And through the pleasant sound her husband couldn't help but join her in watch the overgrown puppy tug considently at his shoes.  
  
Eva Johnson rolled over in her queen sized bed. And yawning sleepily she arose with a small smile coming to her face at the sound of her parents laugher downstairs. Yet when she looked at the clock she instead rolled her eyes in frustration. Didn't they say they would let her sleep for an hour or so before dinner? Pulling some all-nighters to study for her midterms had left her drained and she desperately needed some "quiet time" before she got anything else accomplished. Nevertheless she through the cotton sheets over the side and slowly made her way to the bathroom. Maybe it was a good thing she was up earlier than planed. After all it gave her more time to get ready for her girl's night out she had planned later on.  
  
She turned the shower radio on low and started the hot water of the shower. Quickly giving herself the once over in the mirror she raised an eye brow. OK so she wasn't exactly the prettiest person when she first woke up but she would work on it. She widened her large emerald eyes with her index finger. One of the prettier traits she inhered from her mother. Then he imitated pulling her sandy hair over in a bun. No. Too...adult? She shook it out and proceeded to get undressed and into the shower. The scolding water quickly brought her senses back in full force and allowed her compose new ideas for her unruly hair.  
Less than an hour later Eva sat on her large concrete steps in the front of her house. And looking at her watch she immediately observed that her ride was late once again. She sighed impatiently and sat up, glancing at the place she had known as her home, she smiled at the ivy the covered her bedroom window on the older Victorian home. The black shutters against the pale cream colored siding reminded her of the ultimate contrast. She folded her arms across her chest as a sudden breeze greeted her. Winter was well on it's way, which was why she was probably now very grateful for the snug faded-out jean jacket her mother had thrown at her on her way out.  
  
"It's cold out there." Had said her mother knowingly Eva had at first protested but knowing her mother nothing good would ever come out of it. Her mother was just as stubborn as she and with the particular drama surrounding her father lately Eva knew there was no way she would win anything. She said something sarcastic under her breath and proceeded to say good-bye to her father before going out to the movies for the evening with her friends.  
  
"Dad?" She asked knocking on her solid oak door that led to his study. She heard something that sounded like "Come in" so she cautiously entered. And she was of course greeted with the usual sight of her father buried up to his eyes in paperwork, and phone glued to his ear. He smiled at his daughter's entrance and held up his finger to single that he would be with her in a minute. Eva didn't even flinch (she knew the routine thoroughly). That had how it always been, her father was a busy man. She understood that but sometimes there was a pang of sadness in her heart for him, his job had not been kind to him and had clearly stolen years of his appearance. Where there was once a full head of black hair now reviled a gray, receding hair line that was followed with several wrinkles on his over largely forehead.  
  
Eva made her way over to the shelves he had lined up against the walls. Mostly they were covered with pictures of her and her mom. And Eva even spotted a few of her brother, who was now well into his twenties. Nearly ten years older than Eva since her recent 17th birthday. Eva's smile dropped dramatically when she thought of their fallout several months ago. Her father and older brother Colin had actually been rather close in recent years but since the Mutant registration act bill was averted in her father's hands their differences simply got the better of them.  
  
Colin's best friend who had been killed during a bar fight with a mutant was against giving mutants any freedoms of any kind. Somehow before he died he had sucked Colin into the same notion and therefore started a large and dramatic war with her father. Who was unsure how he felt about the whole matter. Eva turned her head away painfully, now her brother was off somewhere organizing anti-mutant protests and insisting they all be destroyed...  
  
"Eva? Hello are you there sweety?" Asked her father as he waved his hand in front of her face.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry just wanted to let you know that Jainy will been her soon to give me a ride to the movies."  
  
"OK, just make sure your back by curfew."  
  
"Yeah, gotta ya." Said Eva with a shaky voice. She turned and nearly made it to the door before her father caught up with her.  
  
"Hey honey...you OK?"  
  
"Yeah dad fine." She replied with a fake smile. "Just still a little sleepy you know?"  
  
He sighed as though he too was tired. "Look Eva, I know things have been a little crazy lately but the final vote is at the end of the month." He smiled sadly. "Things will calm down then I promise."  
  
"I know Dad. Don't worry about me...honestly...just tired."  
  
"OK honey." He said kissing her forehead.  
  
Eva silently walked outside. And waited for her friend to arrive.  
  
She really needed to get out of the house. And her wish was granted moments later when she heard an obnoxious voice floating to her ears. Yet instead of feeling conforted by the voice, an eerie feeling caught her. But just as quickly as it was there it was gone. Leaving her to believe that she really was becoming paranoid.  
  
"Come on girl! We're gonna have some fun tonight!" Eva smiled as she entered the small car already filled with way too many people. What she didn't see was a small human figure: watching her closely... blending in to the surroundings of the ivy and the incoming night.  
  
Chapter 2 coming soon as long as I get some reviews!!!  
  
Geez...I wonder who could possibly be watching her...and why?!?! The evil plot to be reviled soon...! 


	2. An Adventure gone wrong

Well I guess 1 review is better than no reviews. I really need to hear some feedback here people! Please, I feed on it! ...And I'm starving to death! Come on!!! Oh! I forgot to mention I have just been declaired the worst speller in the world so please bare with me while I fix my spell checker!  
  
The joints of his knees were starting to feel sore. Yet the amphibian-like man continued on his journey as he followed the girl through town and passed several country roads and after making his way through several other difficult areas she reached an abandoned warehouse just near the county line. He scolded himself now for not have taken a car to follow this kid around. It was hard enough trying to cling to rooftops, but as he followed the small car she was in, he began to realize that following her by foot wasn't the greatest idea he had ever had. He wasn't even the one who had suggested it, in fact he wasn't really up for the whole "plan" in general. Yet he was following orders...besides it wasn't like Toad had anything better to do anyway.  
  
"Robert Jackson." He could still hear Magneto's voice dripping with disgust at the sound of his name.  
  
"He claims to be a friend of the mutant community." He had said. "Yet he still has yet to vote on the latest registration. While other parties have have at least made their decisions for the poll that is to be taken at the end of the month Mr. Jackson has yet to do so..."  
  
"Well what do ya want us to do about it?" Interrupted the Beast-like man who had been siting in the corner at the time.  
  
"Along with Mr. Jackson there are two other members of the senate who are undecided with their placement. I propose we give them a little motivation to keep them from changing their minds." He had walked slowly and surly to the small table in the middle of the damp room. Then he pulled out a small valerian file that held three pictures that were turned over. He sighed then looked around the room showing the three pictures.  
  
"Mr. Jackson along with Mr. Barbaric and Mr. Slang stone have been blessed with four children between them." At this the shape-shifter at his side turned on the headlight that was attached to the ceiling.  
The pictures looked as through they had come through the school. As one held the face of an average looking boy no older than seven, the other wallet sized photo shared a picture of a toothless eleven year old girl. The biggest picture on the bottom however was one of a young woman in formal attire: her long hair pulled up with artificial flowers standing in it matching with her off the shoulder dress.  
  
The pictures found their place in the hands of mystique, and Sabertooth. But as Magneto handed the last picture to Toad he snarled.  
  
"What exactly did you have in mind here Mags?" He asked dangerously.  
  
Magneto smiled. "Why my dear Mortimer, I thought you would never ask." He said still smiling although Toad clearly shifted uncomfortablely at the saying of his old name.  
  
Magneto's smile grew wider as he answered the confusion of the room  
  
"Gentlemen and my dear sweet lady...we have tried murder, stealing, and thefts of every kind. But people tend to not respond well to these actions. Mostly because it doesn't effect them personally. So...lets find a new way to convince them." His smile grew into a serious unreadable expression,  
  
"You have one week to memorize your subjects, find their weaknesses and explore their daily routines. We will all meet back here with our subjects...I realize kidnapping isn't the most pleasant crime in the world but...it's for the greater good of our kind..." He had babbled on for some time later but most of the party had stopped listening.  
  
So now here he was jumping from roof top to tree to anything really that he could cling his hands onto. Why couldn't he have gotten one of those younger kids? Damn! now here he was following this kid all across creation. Where in the hell was she going anyway?  
  
"Where in the hell are we going Jainy?" Yelled Eva nervously to her friend in the driver's seat. She began squirming around, they had passed the movie theater 15 minutes ago and now they were stopped at some old factory or something that had music blaring through the windows and kids of all ages drinking out front.  
  
"I told you we were going to have some fun tonight Eva." Replied her friend as everyone else got out of the car. Eva glared her eyes and was about to say something before Jainy beat her to it.  
  
"Look I know you've been really stressed out lately so I thought it would be fun to do something a little different for a change. Just to loosen you up..."  
  
"Do you have any idea what my parents will do if they find out I'm here?!" Blurted Eva angrily.  
  
She had begun panicking when she began recognizing the building as the old Elliskmo factory, some company where a bunch of workers were killed years ago in a fire and had been closed down shortly afterwards. Now it was a popular hang out for most teens in the area, or also known as a great place for a rave and perfect supply shop for any kind of drug you could imagine.  
  
"That's why I lied and said we were going to the movies. Eva, honestly your such a freaken-goody-goody! I knew you couldn't intentionally lie to your family...so here we are!" She said with a little more enthusiasm than necessary.  
  
Eva sighed and rubbed her brow. "OK" She said in a frustrated agreement. She forced a smile to her face desperately trying to ignore the headache that was quickly entering her skull.  
  
"Lets have some fun."  
  
Several minutes later a clearly underage bartender was screaming in her ear. "What do you want to drink?" He said slowly and with his eyes wide open as though she was slow. But Eva who still couldn't believe she was there was simply just having a hard time hearing anything above the music that was invading the senses of everyone around.  
  
"She'll have a 7&7!" Screamed a man to her left. She quickly turned her head to meet the owner of the voice. He had a generally attractive face although his smile was a little too inviting for her sake. He looked maybe a couple years older than her, but it wasn't that fact that was making her uncomfortable.  
  
In her attempts to simply walk away and find her so called friends who she would of liked beating the crap out of at that point the young man stopped her and flashed her an apologetic smile.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry." He said sounding somewhat sincere. "You just seemed like you had a hard time ordering...I haven't seen you around here before." He said trying to start again.  
  
Eva didn't reply instead her eyes scanned the room for any face she could run to that seemed familiar.  
  
"My name is Tom." He said softly. Eva turned to him, determined that her instincts were just a little underdeveloped. Maybe she could have a little adventure for a change, Hell it wouldn't kill her would it? She smiled and picked up the clear drink on the bar table.  
  
"Eva." She replied holding out her hand. He took it gratefully, the glimpse of victory clearly showing in his eyes.  
  
"You want to dance Eva?"  
  
"Yeah," She replied with more confidence than she felt. "I'd like that."  
  
The next hour continued uneventfully Eva and her new found friend spent several songs dancing on the broken and cracked concrete floor. Jainy had found her eventually, and having drunken way too much than she should have her words were slurred but her message wasn't.  
  
"He's cute!" She exclaimed. "Glad to see you found someone to have fun with..." She winked and disappeared into the crowd to not be seen again for the rest of the night. As more and more people began coming in, and she danced more and more. Eva began to feel slightly dizzy with all the action, going on around her. Her silently complain who also had probably had too much to drink noticed this immediately.  
  
"Wanna go outside and get some air?!" He shouted. Eva simply nodded for she could not find the words to come out of her mouth.  
  
Exiting the building proved to be more difficult than she had expected. Pushing her way through person after person she could feel her dizziness growing, and just as she lingered in the doorway feeling like her knees were about buckle under her her newest acquaintance grabbed her by the elbows and steadied her and let her linger on his shoulder. "Thanks." She said quietly. And expecting him to reply she let the second stay before she began the conversation again.  
  
"So um...you live around here?" Again..no response. Instead she began to notice him leading her to the back of the crumpling building.  
  
"Hey. Where are we going?" He yet again failed to respond. Eva tried to tune into the sounds around her, there really wasn't much to hear, in fact panic silently filled her head as she began to realize just how far away she really was from everything. Yet her legs who felt like they were filled with lead failed to respond to her longing to go back to the party.  
  
Her head still held the vibrations of the music and it was getting harder and harder for her to think. Darkness actually began to invade her mind, but she quickly snapped back to reality as she was thrown to the ground behind several trees.  
  
"What in the hell-" She tried to say, yet the thought quickly left her as a large hand covered her mouth. Panicked thoughts were beginning to run through her head. There wasn't any light where she was and the odds of someone seeing her and coming to the rescue were unlikely. She tried to scream yet was greeted with a swift kick in the ribs. The pain dulled through her side yet the urge to continue her attempts to push the twice her size body off her didn't cease.  
  
But just as suddenly as he had punched her for the second time his weight left her form. And the sound of screaming and a struggle followed. She sat up quickly scanning around for the source of her attacker, deciding not to waste any time she sat up and desperately tried to compose herself. She quickly proceeded to limp away back to where there were signs of life. And her attempts to swallow her tears failed as they silently ran down her cheeks.  
  
Hearing a large bang at the end of a brick wall that stood behind the building she saw a figure slump down. Much too small to be her attacker, but instead the figure was slumped under several chunks of brick and lye motionless on the ground.  
  
Someone had seen her. Someone had helped her. And now they were probably hurt and lying there. Alone and...  
  
Wait a minute thought Eva what if it was an accomplice or something? A friend of the scum-bag Tom! It could be...  
  
But as Eva stood there torn, sympathy took control of her better half and she sighed and swallowed with great difficulty as she quickly made her way over to the stranger who lye unmoving in the shadows.  
  
Keep the reviews coming! Please?! 


	3. Home Sweet Home

Yes...here we go despite my lacking in reviews I have happily posted chapter three. This one is shorter than usual but I think it fits in here nicely. Oh and my spell check isn't working with me so please excuse any grammar and spelling errors that I'm sure you will find.  
  
impatiently waiting for REVIEWS!!  
  
Oh great now what? Thought Toad as he watched his assignment being led out of the building by some slum who was looking around frantically for another life form. Toad looked uneasily at the girl, her eyes almost seemed clouded over, and she had the appearance like she had no idea what the hell was going on. Well maybe he was a friend of hers or something...or OK guess not. Thought Toad once again as the girl was thrown some feet on the ground by the slum. Crap. Now what in the hell was he suppost to do. It was going to be kind of hard to kidnap someone if they got raped and stayed in their house for the rest of their lives. Great, he thought selfishly as he climbed down from the treetop where he had been lingering since her entrance.  
  
Not all things go as planned. Toad learned this the hard way from the second he pulled the pathetic piece of crap off the girl and slammed him against the wall. He wasn't moving and assuming that would be the end of it, Toad radiantly walked away not expecting the slum to respond he wasn't exactly prepared for him to pounce right back on him. Pushing him up and yelling the attacker snarled and through the darkness Toad to make out two red glowing eyes that contrasted against his white fangs.  
  
So as his new unexpected enemy was throwing him up against a large brick stove that lied in the back of the old factory he suddenly scolded himself for even attempting to help that kid. He could still see her out of the corner of his freaken eye for gods sake! What was she doing? He saw her attacker run through the woods and retreat across the highway. He sighed in pain as he noticed his shoulder sticking out in places it shouldn't have been and gave into the darkness that had been threatening to take over his body.  
  
Eva nearly screamed again when she got some kind of a look at her rescuer. Although it was dark she could make out his twisted form and decided he needed immediate attention. She nettled down to the unmoving form and felt for a neck, when she discovered that a pulse was still present she sighed but her scanning eyes never stopped reaching into her purse to call an ambulance which was when she discovered that her cell phone had ultimately betrayed her .(yet again) So with nothing much else to do she attempted to drag the incredibly still form to a car.  
Reaching Jainy's car proved to be again more difficult than she planned but never looking down at her rescuer she never noticed the unusual circumstances of his injuries. Luckily for her Jainy never kept her car locked, Eva realized that one Jainy found the car gone she would be more than upset. But at this point Eva didn't particularly care.  
  
Driving on she began to notice that the hand her rescuer owned was webbed...and green? Eva nearly swerved the car off the road as she noticed this small detail and she pulled over to the side of the road in a haste. Now biting her lip nervously and holding onto the steering wheel with a grip she never knew possible she slowly made her way to the back seat. Eva slowly removed the hood that covered his face. She choked back a scream, and turned to the steering wheel once more.  
  
Now what was she suppost to do? This guy was either seriously deformed or a mutant, odds are the local hospitals wouldn't be very friendly and might have assumed that he had been the one to attack her...so now what? She couldn't just leave him somewhere. No this guy needed serious help...Eva quickly started up the car once more and headed for the safest place she knew.  
  
Eva was generally grateful when she got home to find her parent's letter explaining that Eva's grandmother had been admitted into the hospital for a flu that she simply couldn't get rid of. Eva shaked off the guilt that came with that and deiced that maybe it was better that Eva and her guest she had now plopped on the couch were alone. After all with all the press surrounding her father bring home an un-conscience, green man was probably not the most inconspicuous thing to do.  
  
Several minutes later after Eva had gotten just about every first aid kit out from every closet in her home she closed her eyes and took a steady breath desperately trying to calm her shaking hands. And turning on a lamp in the corner she realized the task wasn't going to become easier. The pale green face had several scratches and quickly forming bruises, while she could see torn skin on the webbing in-between his fingers. She silently removed his fadeout trench coat that had clearly had several misadventures of it's own. She placed it gently over the desk chair nearby and proceeded to take off his ragged gray tee-shirt that had recently been stained with blood. Looking at his bare upper-torso nearly brought tears to her eyes. Without throe examination she could see where razor blades had once touched his skin, and scars from anything ranging from whips, chains, rope burns, and even something that resembled claw marks. My god, thought Eva what had this poor guy been through? She took another deep breath and tried to ignore the pang of hurt she felt for this stranger who had probably saved her life. And instead she placed latex gloved on her hands and continued with the basic training she had received from her parents.  
  
After bandaging bruised ribs and cleaning up the cuts and dirt from his face Eva placed a blanket on the form of her patient and no sooner did she do that than the study phone rang sending her in a frenzy to talk to the person on the other line.  
  
"Eva honey is that you?" Asked her mother with a sleepy voice.  
  
"Oh yeah mom, Hi is Gran OK?" She asked trying to avoid telling her mother about the latest event that had occurred. There was no reason to worry her mother further than she probably already was.  
  
"Well," Said her mother with a deep sigh. "Doctor's said she'll be all right if the medicine they gave her pans out all right. We were driving for a couple of hours to get here and your Father's absolutely exhausted so we're just going to grab a hotel room for now, catch a few hours of sleep then make our way back in the morning." Curious at her daughter's silence Sarah Jackson proceeded at ask her a question or two.  
  
"You girls enjoy the movie?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, it was funnier than I thought it would be..." Lied Eva through her teeth.  
  
"Well that's good dear." After a few more question and a humble goodnight from each end Eva hung up the phone and blinked several times before rubbing her eyes. She hadn't realized how exhausted she had been at that point but since it didn't really look like her guest wasn't going to be joining her in the realm of conscience soon, maybe resting her eyes for a few minutes wouldn't be such a bad idea. She quickly took off her jacket and threw it on a nearby chair. And resting her worn out form on a rocking chair her Grandfather had once built for her parents as a wedding gift she grabbed a blanket to prevent her body temperature from growing lower. And giving in to a large yawn she quickly fell into a light sleep that brought peaceful dreams that refused to cling to her memories.  
  
Chapter three...ok where are the reviews???? Come on now people any feedback would be nice! 


	4. Waking Up

Hey Everybody thank for the positive feedback and suggestions. I really appreciate it and it keeps me writing this fic, so if you like it please let me know what you think!

Anyway here's chapter 4, this one is a little OOC but I figured it would lighten things up a bit. Here we go

()()()()()()()()()()

The atmosphere was well...the term "Warm and cozy" came to mind. In fact as Toad attempted to shift his body weight he was greeted by a very confortable thermal blanket surrounding his bare chest and despite the pain the rolled through his entire side he could feel a pillow molded to the back of his head. And even a touch of warm sunlight landed on his eyelids warming his face and activating what seemed to be a flowery scent flowing through his nostrils...

Wait a minute.

Toad sat up abruptly and clenched his teeth at the pain that roared though his head. Blinking at the sight in front of him he could of sworn for a minute he was dreaming.

Looking straight ahead of him he saw a large oak desk cluttered with silver picture frames, looking down was a red and beige carpet swirled with dragon designs above a supremely clean hardwood floor. Turning behind him was a large bay window that did indeed hold the sun that had just implored his vision. He swiftly turned his head away to keep away from the blinding light.

But as Toad looked up once more his eyes widened. He smiled knowingly and slapped himself on the side of his head.

Ouch! Wait a minute...still here...crap! This isn't a dream? He threw himself up quickly and despite his body's protests at leaving the large extremely confortable couch he managed to take two steps forward before noticing a moving creature in the corner behind him.

(Although she was barely moving), her chest was steadily rising up and down reviling that she was more than likely asleep. As Toad's eyes adjusted more to the room he noticed that her eyes were peacefully closed, and her eyebrows were calmly relaxed on her face.

Toad not exactly being the most observationest person was surprised that the sight so greedily caught his attention. He cautiously stepped over to get a better look. Sitting in a sandalwood rocking chair was a girl no older than 17. Her flawless skin was pale and fair as though it had never seen any hardships at all, and matching perfectly was her sandy blond hair that laid across her left cheekbone and seemed to dance as a slight breeze from a nearby window entered the room. Her figure appeared average although her limbs were strangely defined and suggested she was often active with some sport or another.

Toad exhaled sharply as his brain finally clicked together and the girl from the photo came to his mind. In fact the entire evening had come crawling back at him with full force. He gasped as he mentally swore to himself.

Damn it! Why did she bring him back here? He walked closer to the desk he had seen previously before, the set of matching silver frames caught his eye.

They were mostly pictures of her. Pictures of her and some woman who looked old enough to be her mother sitting near a lake as they laughed about some joke that the photographer never knew about. And another of her as a younger child with her hair formed in pigtails and dried chocolate smeared on her lips. He picked up that picture and enjoyed the feeling of cold silver beneath his fingers. Still holding it several seconds later he nearly had the urge to crack a smile, yet before he could follow through with that act a loud and incredibly annoying pounding found it's way to the front door that he stood so close to.

Quickly sitting down the picture and realizing he didn't have a shirt on his mind began to race at an unreliable rate. What was he going to do now? He could hear the sound of the girl stirring and running out the front door wasn't exactly an option with someone at it. At this stage of panic his mind only allowed him one idea:

Hide.

)()()()()()()()()

Eva quickly stood up at the sound of her front door being assaulted and her doorbell abused. Actually "stood up" probably wasn't the most accurate term. Being completely correct would probably be saying the she totally fell out of the (what she realized now was a) sincerely unconfortable chair. Being just slightly upset at the way she was woken up Eva nearly busted the doors off the hinges at an attempt to warn the person on the other side of her anger.

But when she was greeted by the sight of Jainy her heart lost all vengeance and immediately melted at the sight of the girl. Her pulled up hair was in clusters around her shoulders, and eye make that she had once been so fond of was massacred by previously shed tears.

"There you are!" She nearly cried as she embraced her very confused friend.

"Jainy what's wrong with you?" Said Eva suspiciously at the sign of affection.

"Are you kidding?" Replied the loud girl as she let herself into her friend's home.

"As the party was coming to an end me and Becca went looking for you, we asked around and some girl said she saw you and that guy leave out the back...then we couldn't find the car, and I tried calling your cell but when you didn't answer I..." Her friend continued to choke back tears as she pulled her friend into a very dramatic hug.

"I came over as soon as I could. I can't even express how happy I was too see my car in your driveway, Are you OK?" She asked. "What in the hell happened?!" She exclaimed as her relief quickly turning to anger at the thought of her friend abandoning her.

"Well..."But before Eva could reply the memories of the previous night came back to her. She nearly ran to the living room but the only thing she saw was the blanket on the floor and a nearby picture frame knocked over.

Her eyes widened in fright as certain possibilities ran through her head. Jainy noticed this and was about to ask another question when the oncoming conversation was interrupted by the sound of something crashing in the kitchen.

"Look Jainy, I'm sorry but I ran into an old friend last night who needed help. Yes, I took the car but it was an emergency." Eva's eyes never left the kitchen yet her hand seemed to be guiding her friend to the exit as quickly as possible.

"Eva! Wait a minute, what-?"

"I'll call you later!" Eva exclaimed as she nearly threw her friend out and slammed the door behind her. She stopped momentary to think about how her mother would react if she heard that, but Eva quickly shook it off and slowly began to head in the direction of the sound.

She was obviously wondered where that guy had gone but that was the most innocent question on her mind as she silently entered the kitchen and a quiet whimpering sound came to her ears. She looked around frantically until she noticed a slight movement coming from the pantry. But about half way there she stopped and listen curiously to the whining sound.

'Bruno?' She mouthed silently.

Ignoring the recent fear that she had just experienced Eva grabbed a hold of the shiny door knob and stood back as quickly as if she was expecting for whatever was in there to revile itself.

Eva tilted her head in confusion as she blinked at the sight in front of her: A short green man was sternly attempting to kick her dog away from him as he affectionately chewed on the welted shoe laces of his mangled boots.

Realizing that someone had just open the door, Toad nearly lost his weight beneath him. Eva however (at the obvious sight of his fear) let out a laugh like she had never experienced before.

Here it was Saturday morning, a green man in her pantry, and her dog trying to eat his shoes. But the giggling suddenly stopped as she figured out how this poor guy must have felt.

"Bruno!" She said sternly. "Get out of there now! Bad dog bad!"

The words followed the dog as he gave up on the strangers shoes and proceeded to the patio. Eva watched as the sour faced dog left her and her rescuer alone. But before she could turn to him to apologize he had already bolted from the small closet that now had cans and boxes on the floor from the recent struggle.

Toad grabbed his shirt and threw it on over his head. He had to get out of there. What was he thinking anyway? He had only wished the freaken dog hadn't followed him into the pantry. He would of been fine. He could of waited for the other girl to leave then find a back way out, but no...

The next step being putting on his jacket was interfered by a stern hand on his arm.

"Where are you going." Asked the startled girl to his left who had unexplainable followed him from the room.

"Home." He heard himself answer.

"Well look I just..umm thank you for helping me and all last night. I'm sorry I didn't get you to a doctor or anything but I figured...um" She said clearly failing at her attempt at a thank you.

"Yeah whatever." He replied coolly.

Painfully getting on his jacket he began making his way to the door when an overgrown mutt stopped him in his tracks by nearly throwing himself at his shoes and in an effort to avoid the extremely large animal Toad threw himself back. But despite his reflexes he fell flat on his face anyway.

He growled out in pain as a sharp wave of misery came to his torso.

"Oh my god! Are you OK?" She asked trying to help him up. He could barely hear her say that and something that sounded like "Get outside!"

"Here let me help you...I thought you had some bruised ribs but maybe they were in worse condition than I suspected..." She said helping him to his feet. But even with a hand secured under his coat it managed to find hers as she did as she promised and helped him to his feet.

"Oh yeah," she said somberly. "I'll need to do something with these." She said taking a closer look at his injured hand that had quickly becoming scabbed over from the day before.

She continued on for some time about how annoying her dog really was. But Toad didn't hear a thing she was saying. The only thing he could really phantom was that...she had touched his hand? And forget about just touching it. Somehow they had made it to the couch and she was holding it while softly putting on antibacterial cream. Why was she doing this? Why did she let him sleep on her couch, and stay in her house for that matter?! Was it because he had helped her out that one time?

Wow, he pondered...I guess favors really do go a long way. Some time later he snapped back to attention when she looked up and smiled.

"...So would you?" She asked.

"Huh?" He answered. She rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Would you like some breakfast?" She repeated slowly. He looked up at her with the most curious and saddest eyes she had ever seen.

"Sure." He had said. Although he wasn't quite sure where that response had come from. He followed her into the kitchen and flinched slightly as she held out her hand to him.

"My name is Eva"

Toad swallowed hard and took several seconds before deciding that giving her his name probably wouldn't hurt anything. Besides what harm could come out of it? He defensively held a hand to hers.

"Toad."

)()()()()()()()()()()

Yep...


	5. Breakfast Time

OK everybody here's chapter 5 (as promised of course)  
  
Eva was still having a hard time erasing the look of shock that came to his face when she asked him if he wanted some breakfast. Truth be told she wasn't quite sure why she had extended the invitation, she knew she had already gone way beyond the concept of friendliness. Although she was sure that's not exactly what her guest was being.  
  
But wait a minute he wasn't just her guest now. He had a name.  
  
He had a name.  
  
And it was Toad.  
  
She had nearly questioned him about that as he announced it. Wondering what in the hell kind of name was Toad, she couldn't really imagine a person growing up to such a title. Maybe it was more of a nickname? But the more she thought about it she could see something close to a resemblance. He did after all have webbed fingers, and a pale green skin that she hesitated to ask him about. But as he sat at her kitchen table wringing his hands back and worth she felt a strange fit of pity for this 'Toad' he obviously had a decent character yet seemed like something was going to come out and attack him at any moment.  
  
His table manners weren't exactly humble either, for as Eva approached him with a plate of waffles he eagerly had his share (and then some) All the while failing to keep his mouth closed and barely constraining on anything other than the microwave clock that was the only conversation handler in the room. For nothing but silence came from each of the parties. Finally unable to take it any longer Eva spoke up.  
  
"Eat much?" She asked with a tone that sounded ruder than she had originally intended.  
  
His head cocked to the side with a dangerous glare but then instantly faded as he pushed out his chair and once again headed out in the direction of the door.  
  
"Wait!" Said Eva as she attempted to get up from her seat across the room. Yet upon doing so she had the unfortunate experience of being met with one of Bruno's more popular toys and before her reflexes could kick in she found herself stumbling uncontrollably, and was indeed about to meet the titled floor before she felt a strong pair of hands on her waist quick to guide her back to her original position.  
  
Catching her breath and pushing her hair out of her face she began to realize the pair of hands were still firmly planted at her waist. Looking toward their owner with a curious grin she said, "You seem to have acquired a habit for keeping me out of harm's way." She pulled herself way about the same second he let her go and continued with a slight attitude lingering in her voice.  
  
"Well I just hope you know that your going to have your work cut out for you...because I do plan on living forever." And with that she crossed her arms and smiled even wider. But to her surprise she wasn't the only person in the room smiling.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Toad still couldn't believe his hands were sweating as he was still siting with her several minutes later. Actually he couldn't believe he was still there at all! He should of been gone by now! What was he doing? It was bad enough that he stayed for breakfast. (Although he was learning that Eva certainly could make a decent waffle)  
  
Eva.  
  
He liked that name.  
  
Yet still he couldn't believe he was still here, in this beautiful house talking about parties and other social events. He admitted that it was indeed a one sided conservation seeing as how she was doing most of the actual speaking.  
  
"I didn't even want to go to that place." She said as she put dishes in the dishwasher. "But," she said with annoyance clear in her voice, "My friend Jainy dragged me there...I wish I had never gone." She said with a more frightened tone in her voice. But it was gone just as suddenly as it had appeared. And her aggregating cheeriness was back and better than ever.  
  
"So," she said with a sigh. "Why were you there?"  
  
"Oh...well..um" He said with a fake cough in progress. He couldn't very well tell her the truth. No. the truth wasn't a good idea at this point.  
  
"Just... ya know hanging out with some friends." He said with a grunt clearly trying to drop the topic of the night before. After already receiving several "thank yous" from her he certainly didn't feel the need for anymore.  
  
"That accent..." She said pointing a dishrag at him. "British?"  
  
"Yeah," He said matter-of-factly.  
  
The room fell dead for several more seconds before Eva sat down at the now cleaned up table with a glass of orange juice and after taking a sip of the citrus drink she approached a certain subject matter that had been on her mind with caution.  
  
"Again I'm sorry about not taking you to see a medical professional of some kind...I just sort of assumed that being a mutant and all..." She said as quietly as possibly as she could. Yet when no response came from him she feared she had insulted him deeply.  
  
"I mean...I..." She tried to begin again.  
  
But unexpectedly Toad didn't respond, he simply put up a hand to her rambling and turned his head toward the more front portion of the house.  
  
"Someone just pulled in your driveway..." He began.  
  
Eva had just been bolted with that fact that her parents would be coming home sometime in the A.M. She left her bewildered looking guest and proceed to the front windows where when she pulled back the curtain she got a first glance at her disheveled looking parents exiting their car. And being completely unsure as to what she was going to say (without lying) she retreated into the kitchen expecting to see Toad staring after her, but the only life that stood left in the kitchen was her. He had even pushed in his chair...  
  
"Eva?" Asked her mother calmly as she entered the home.  
  
"Hi mom..." Eva said as she began scanning the house for any signs of life. Eva's father followed her mother shortly afterward, and Eva began to notice the exhausted look on each of their faces. So momentarily she forget about her newest friend and she proceed to play a game of 20 questions with her parents.  
  
"Are you guys OK? Can I get you something to eat? Did you bring any luggage with you that I can take to your room? What-?"  
  
Her questioning was stopped short with her Mother's tiered smile and a shaking back a forth of her head.  
  
"Honey we're OK. We just didn't get much sleep... But how did your night go? Anything exciting happen?"  
  
Eva smiled knowingly "Exciting...nope not at all." 


	6. Discussions

Hey Everybody thanks once again for the positive feedback. Keep it coming aand I'll keep updating!  
  
()()()()()())()()  
  
The lair was silent as Toad swiftly slipped through the security system and proceeded into the main hall that led to his home. He sighed deeply as he pushed away the door that secured his quarters.  
  
At least I got out of their before her parents arrived. He thought miserably.  
  
Slowly as to not injury himself more than completely necessary he took off his coat and placed it against a molded chair in the room. He threw himself face first on the mattress he slept on nightly, yet despite his attempts he couldn't get anything near confortable. The thought of a warm sofa plagued his thoughts and he mentally swore to himself at the memory.  
  
This was a one time thing! He shouted to himself over and over yet with no avail he glanced at the calendar. Tomorrow was Monday, he would have to follow her to school and make every effort to figure out her class schedule, the names of her friends, teachers...He sighed once more. He should of gotten out of there when he had the chance. He sat up and folded his legs beneath him.  
  
She not different.  
  
Just because she took some pity on the freak that you are doesn't mean she's any different from the rest of them. Screamed the voice inside his head.  
  
Yet the way..."No!" he shouted out loud. "Don't get attached, don't get attached..." He mumbled over and over. Not that it was really the issue, somewhere in the back of his brain he knew that the odds of Magneto's plan working out was not always great and although he had been known to take a life every now and again. They were usually all people he had never even spoken with. And that was completely acceptable, he didn't even know what their voices sounded like. It was always easier to kill another life form when you knew nothing about them.  
  
He knew she could make a decent waffle...  
  
The sharp pounding of footsteps entered his ears as the sign of someone about to come into his room and from the sound of the feet he would have guessed-  
  
"Where have you been?" growled Sabertooth as he broke down the already vulnerable door.  
  
Toad however had yet to answer and simply rolled his eyes as he took a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and proceed to light it.  
  
"Awww what's the matter? All this concern for me?" The response was not light as a very large and violent grip found his was to his throat and firmly pinned him to a nearby wall, forcing several pieces of plaster to fall from the unsupportive roof.  
  
"The check-in was makes things messy." Said the overgrown beast. Yet before his last word was barely spoken Sabertooth raised his nose in the air and his eyes widened with surprise. He let Toad fall carelessly to the floor.  
  
"You smell like...dare I say a female?" He walked around he heaving Toad as the mutant struggled to catch his breath. "Almost like...the Jackson girl?" He said in nearly a whisper.  
  
"You had better be careful pond scum, I won't let you screw this one up..." But acting as though a unwanted thought had entered his head he changed the subject with a fierce attitude.  
  
"Magneto wants to see you. Now." And before Toad could finally register the hairy mutant was gone leaving him with his scared wall and an uneasy feeling quickly growing in his stomach.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
" You sure you OK?" Asked Jainy as she lazily flipped the page of some unknown magazine she had recently found under Eva's bed.  
  
When Jainy didn't receive and answer she rose up from her friends bed that she had been lying stomach down on for several minutes. She paused before turning a gentle hand on her friend's unaware shoulder. Eva instantly turned to her left at the sight of affection and smiled slightly.  
  
"Yeah I'm OK, just a little shook up about last night I guess."  
  
"Well I would guess so!" Said Jainy as she took a seat in a beanbag chair next to her distracted friend.  
"I mean...getting attacked like that, meeting that mutant, then having his disappear..." She attempted to finish but was cut off by a passionate response from Eva.  
  
"His name is Toad." She said simply.  
  
Jainy nodded and sighed deeply.  
  
"I know your worried about him av.' but I think he can more than likely take care of himself."  
  
"Yeah your probably right..." Said Eva sitting up and adjusting her sweater. "I just get this really bad feeling every time I think about what could of happened if he hadn't been there..."  
  
"Oh eva," said her friends sympathetically as she pulled her into a sincere hug.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Eva knew it was possible that she had lied more in the last 24-hours than she had in her entire life. But at that point she didn't particularly care. She knew that she could explain the way she felt a million times to Jainy.  
  
Yet she would just never understand.  
  
Only minutes after Jainy had gone home, Eva walked into the bathroom to release the braid she had created later, she almost regretted telling Jainy anything at all. The fact was that a part of her was afraid about the possibilities of what could of happened the previous night, but mostly she just had the extremely uneasy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach about something she couldn't quite explain.  
  
She was tired  
  
That was it. That had to be it. She was just tired running for almost two days with no sleep was never a good idea and besides the day in itself had been a long one with running around the house trying to escape the evidence of any strangers being here, then Jainy insisting that she come over for a few minutes (which had turned into most of the day itself)  
  
She just needed sleep...that was all.  
  
So looking in the mirror she nodded to herself with agreement. And after changing into a sporty black tank-top and gray pajama pants she climbed into bed desperately wishing that the next day was one that included school. But as she turned off the lamp and her head hit the pillow she fell into a blissful slumber where she once again had dreams she couldn't remember when she later woke up.  
  
()()()()()()()()  
  
There was no doubt that the punching bad was being well...punched. In fact it was also being kicked and abused in other ways that it was not usually accustomed to. Yet Toad didn't particularly care. In fact he was actually very grateful for the hole-ridden piece of crap. Because if it wasn't for that small piece of equipment he might of broken the new t.v. Mystique had stolen earlier on in the day.  
  
The conversation he had been a part of with magneto had indeed not been pleasant. In fact if anything else it had made his blood boil in way it wasn't even capable.  
  
There he was standing in the middle of the metal theme room being stared at by Magneto as though he were some kind of dog. And Magneto was trying to figure out it he had made an accident or not.  
  
"He right, you do smell like a female." He said calmly only to be followed with a throwing of a metal-bound book across the room.  
  
"Do you have any idea how stupid it was to let this girl see your face? Or give her your name?! My God Mortimer I never realized how stupid you could truly be until this moment-"  
  
"It wasn't my fault OK?" Said Toad who had been standing silent until that moment. "What did you want me to do? I had the opportunity so I thought maybe I could get some information out of her...How was I suppost to know she's overyfriendly-?" He started but before the sentence was finished Magneto's hand was raised into the air.  
  
But the only really reason Toad stopped was because of the sudden look that had changed on this man's face.  
  
And to Toad's horror he smiled.  
  
"That's not a half bad idea Mortimer!" He said suddenly. "Yes, yes, yes..." He seemed to be mumbling to himself and Toad began to wonder if he had indeed gone mad.  
  
"I realize that you didn't have the easiest pick of the litter to work with," He began gesturing at a chair for Toad to sit in.  
  
"From what I understand this sort of this with older children is a bit more difficult..." He sat slowly and his smile faded from his face but not from his eyes.  
  
"If you gain her trust and convince her to...oh I don't know maybe meet some of your friends this time next week..."  
  
"No." Stated Toad.  
  
"And why in the hell not?" Asked the older man with amusement in his voice.  
  
"Because it's a bad idea." Toad stated simply.  
  
"You'll do it whether you like it or not." Retreated the old man as though he had grown bored with the conversation.  
  
Toad being in such the rage that he was decided that if he stayed there a second longer he might just have ripped the old man's head off. So instead of saying anything he retreated to his room where he sat silently and unmoving from his bed watching the sunset from the cracks in the corners of his room. His heart rippled inside his chest although he wasn't sure why.  
  
He lye back and sighed. Closing his eyes for only moments flood shots of his life came back to him in a fit, colors mixing together, sounds becoming one with each other. However despite his awareness he could still make out images of his childhood: the beatings, the torment, the anger.  
Without knowing it he clenched his fists.  
  
He knew what he had to do. His eyes flew open and as they adjusted to the darkness of the room he became aware that he must of fallen asleep for the clock told him it was nearly 11p.m. And the darkest hour of the night was upon him.  
  
Grabbing his jacket and leaving the lair with a strange hunger he couldn't quite defy he head out for the old Victorian house with the cream colored siding, black shutters and the dominating ivy that could easily be compared with his skin. 


	7. In the pouring rain

OK everybody since it seems like I'll never be able to improve my spelling and grammar, I am officially taking out an ad to find some poor sap who would help me out with that. Just e-mail me with any thoughts, suggestions, whatever.  
  
  
  
And here's chapter 7...  
  
()()()()())()()()()()  
  
She could feel the breeze of the oncoming winter hitting her shoulder. And although her body wasn't quite awake (as it refused to open it's eyes) her mind was partly wondering why she had left the window open.  
  
A light passed over her eyelids.  
  
Eva sat upright as quickly as she could maneuver. She twisted her fist into her eye trying to rid the lack of vision. A dark and silent room greeted her as the only real thing she could hear was the sound of her heart pounding away like a jackhammer was stuck in her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when she turned around to notice her open window. Rolling her eyes at her intense reaction she calmly got up and retreated to the window where she properly closed the window in question. Yet upon doing so she couldn't help but notice that the breeze she had imagined earlier was in reality a vicious wind that accompanied a dark and star less sky.  
  
A storm was coming. Eva shivered slightly to herself before wrapping her arms around herself and proceeded to the small crimson colored closet in the hall where her mother kept extra blankets.  
After selecting one that she had always favored and wrapping it around herself she again began heading for her warm bed that she now so longed for. Glancing at her clock she realized it was nearly midnight, yet for some reason the few hours of sleep she had received seem like plenty and despite the massive yawn that made her stretch her limbs she still had yet to feel-  
  
Eva's head snapped to attention as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.  
  
The window was once again open.  
  
She squinted her eyes to make sure that the shadows simply weren't playing tricks on her again, but the large gusts of wind that followed made her realize she wasn't. And that same burst of wind was enough to knock over a glass that had been sitting on a shelf in the back of the room. Eva jumped but wasn't even in midair when she realized how silly she was being.  
  
"It's just the wind..." She told herself as she picked up the glass and it's spilled continents and once again went to close the window this time grabbing a thick-leather bound book from her desk to latch it with. She made her way over to the window but as she was about to grab the latch that would secure it, a large squeaking noise came from the gutter above her. She flinched but then smiled as she reminded herself-  
  
"It's just the wind, it's just the wind..."  
  
"Don't be so sure of that..." Said a husky voice from in front of her.  
  
Confused and terrified Eva let out a yelp that would of resulted to a scream if it wasn't for a hand covering her mouth and a figure sweeping down skillfully and entering her room. Feeling threatened and well beyond scared Eva trusted her hands as they led her back to the leather-bound book...  
  
"SMACK!"  
  
The book ( being very well guided) hit her attacker in what appeared to be the eye for he began clutching his face and yelling out many inappropriate words that aren't exactly included in the dictionary.  
  
Eva being armed with her book was released immediately from her attacker's hold and she retreated around the back of the bed ready to let out the most bloodcurdling scream of her life when-  
  
Was that a British accent? She asked herself.  
  
And suddenly her "attackers" form became quite clear. Realizing the pity of her mistake she dropped the book with a thud and ran to the form she knew as her desk to turn on a small lamp in the corner of it.  
  
Her suspicions were deemed correct when she saw a webbed, green clutch at her bed and a memorable head full of brownish-green hair appear from the floor.  
  
"And people say mutants are violent...?" She heard him mumble.  
  
"Oh..." Was all Eva could muster before she moved over to his side and lifted up his head as gently as she could but it seemed as though he wasn't too compliant about that.  
  
Eva could feel her eye's widen in the back of her brain as she saw his face. A large (and considerably noticeable) square bruise was forming on his left eye, and it would of appeared like some of the sharper corners of the book scratched his face as well.  
  
"Are you OK?" She asked her voice barely in a whisper as she helped him to his feet. And with a sincerely grave look on her face as if expecting him to pounce at any moment she bit her lip and watched in horror as he walked passed her and straight to the wall length mirror that stood next to the bed.  
  
He stood there a moment as though he couldn't quite believe what he saw. And after several moments of staring in the mirror his expression completely unreadable he surprised Eva the most when a whirl of laugher came from his mouth and echoed in the tiny room.  
  
Eva walked over to his side cautiously as if to avoid a scandal and looked at his face from the back of the mirror. Completely speechless as he turned to her and said,  
  
"Nice aim..."  
  
()())()()()())()()  
  
The park was always nice this time of year. Everyone knew that and it was a simple fact, despite the frost that paved the playground equipment the area hadn't lost it's popularity and was often frequented by kid of all ages. But as two "kids" of the sort began wondering through it one Sunday night...it was certainly a sight to be seen.  
  
But they weren't really wondering anymore. No. Instead in some common childhood memory they decided to sit on a rusty set of swings that clearly hadn't seen any bodies for quite some time. The extremely odd looking couple sat in silence as they considered the day's events. The more unusual man at the left was think about far more unhappy things than the girl at the right.  
  
"Look," He began. "I didn't mean to scare you." He stated refusing to look up at her.  
  
She smiled despite herself. Eva still wasn't quite sure why she had suggested the park. She guessed that at the time it seemed appropriate. She knew their conversation would get noisy, she didn't want her parents to wake up, and the park was the closest (most public) place she could think of.  
  
Although she was beginning to realize that it wasn't a very popular place at 1:00 in the morning.  
  
"It's OK." She said watching her breath as her traces of exhaling floated into the wind and disappeared into the unknown shadows.  
  
"I just sort of...wanted to apologize for before when I left in such a hurry." Toad said. "I tend...to not give a positive reaction to parents."  
  
Eva smiled as she began to push her legs toward the sky.  
  
"I figured something like that." She said. But soon as she began to consume the swing closer to the night sky and her brow wrinkled in laugher.  
  
"Truth be told I actually was a little mad...but that swollen eye of yours makes me feel guilty for it."  
  
He cocked his head sideways to her before cracking a grin and stating, "Yeah...I guess I deserved that."  
  
Several moments passed before Eva received the courage to ask her next question.  
  
"Why is your name Toad?" She asked trying to avoid those big dark eyes of his that held more answers than they led on.  
  
Toad sat up abruptly from his swing, and caught a glance of regret from Eva's face. He sighed and rubbed his hands together to hide the cold night air.  
  
Eva nearly fell backward from her swing when she saw a slimy tongue that was at least 15 feet long fly out of his mouth and onto the roof of a playhouse. But in what seemed like the same second his feet flew nearly five feet in the air before he gracefully landed on a set of money bars, his tongue trailing close behind him.  
  
Eva stopped her swing altogether and stared with her mouth wide open at the (now extremely anxious) creature who had removed a cigarette from his pocket and placed it in his shaking mouth. Eva with lacking of words walked out to the ten feet away or so that he stood and removed the cigarette from his mouth just about as it was about to meet his lighter and threw it to the ground. She offered him a weak but sincere smile as she said,  
  
"You shouldn't smoke."  
  
If Toad had been holding a smoking device in his mouth he surly would of dropped it as the only words that came out of her mouth were:  
  
"You shouldn't smoke?"  
  
That was all she had to say to him? No! That couldn't be right...the second she saw that she should of run home screaming... What was she trying to pull?  
  
Clearly annoyed by his response she grabbed his arm before leading him to a open soccer field, and totally entranced by her touch he was more than happy to allow it.  
  
She was touching him again too? But this time he hadn't even done anything for her- why? Yet his thoughts were instantly intrusted with sound of vengeful thunder clapping in the distance which made his female companion jump slightly at the sound.  
  
Before either of them had time to respond the skies opened up and expressed themselves with such a fierce attitude that anyone could of sworn the heavens themselves were taken revenge on anyone that lived on earth.  
  
Expecting Eva to begin her quick journey home he was surprised to find her running away from him in a playful manor as she began humming and taking off her sweatshirt with more gusto than completely necessary.  
  
"What are you doing?!" He shouted to her although the rain made it hard to hear.  
  
She never actually told him to come over. She just folded out her hand and began waving in the air furiously as though the action was something done out of urgency. He nearly ran to her prancing form as she began...to dance?  
  
Not actually dance more like just romping around, humming some song he was sure he had heard before but couldn't remember. She noticed his confused stare and answered as though he were completely obviously.  
  
"Well are you going to join me or what?" His eyes widen in confusion as she stopped for a moment and grabbed him arm.  
  
"Come on dance with me!" She pleaded.  
  
Toad wasn't quite sure what to say to that so he simply expressed himself by shaking his head back and forth.  
  
"I don't dance." He said as though she should of already of known that fact. Yet Eva unable to give up grabbed his arm more aggressively this time and stated just as seriously:  
  
"I don't take no for an answer."  
  
And before he quite knew what was happening she had pulled him into her arms and seconds later his left hand was planted firmly at her waist the other accompanied at the small of her back.  
  
He laughed.  
  
Toad couldn't help but take the lead and laughed as he did so.  
  
This probably wasn't a good idea. No. He knew that this wasn't a good idea. Yet as Eva insisted he twirl her and the two of them ended up on the wet and muddy ground being abused by the hard rain that was hitting each of their faces.  
A moment of joy entered his head a feeling he couldn't define. And the feeling was mutual as they joked around in the muck because for that innocent moment:  
  
Neither of them cared.  
  
And both of them were laughing so hard that they could each of sworn that their sides were going to burst.  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
Awwww...nice little happy moment! 


	8. Reasons

Thanks for the feedback so far! Keep it coming!  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
As the night continued on and he once again found himself in the lightly dimmed room that belonged to his newfound friend Toad found a confortable silence as he waited for Eva to come back from the bathroom.  
  
He stood up and looked around the room. He nodded approvingly. It certainly suited her, the eggshell painted walls weren't littered with posters but had a reasonable amount of pictures plastered as a wallpaper substitute  
  
The sound of a door squeaking forced his head to turn. Eva began cautiously walking into the room holding two very large cotton towels, she smiled as she entered. He was about to do the same when one of the towels had found it's way to his face sending swift giggles to the girl beside him. But he was actually grateful for the warm, clean piece of clothing, the smells reminded him of something honest and hopeful although that wasn't what he chose to say.  
  
"Enjoy beating me up do you?" He asked playfully. It was incredibly how suddenly his position had changed with her, one minute it was difficult to mutter a word to her, the next he would be giving off things to her that he had never even said to himself out loud  
  
"Only when I find it necessary." she said pointing to the wet footprints he had made during his second arrival through her window. Eva wasn't really sure why she had asked him to come inside. It just seemed appropriate like when you excuse yourself from a busy room. He smiled at her comment and felt a heat rush to his cheeks at the accusation. The room remained silent until the sound of Eva plopping down on her bed came to his ears. Turning his head in her direction he titled his head sideways preparing the words that were about to come out in the form of a question.  
  
"So...was there any particular reason why we were running around out there?" He said emotionless. But as his next comment was about to enter the room she gave an unexpected answer.  
  
"My grandmother..." She began. Clearly confused Toad once again titled his head sideways. Eva smiled at this response.  
  
"She always told me that whenever you get caught in a storm with a stranger it meant..." She blushed as this past part came off and she clumsy crossed her legs Indian style across the bed.  
  
"...that God was trying to mold their souls together. But he would always have a hard time with this." She refused to look up at him at this point.  
  
"She always said that the way into a person's soul was to see if they were a good dancer or not. (She took ballet for 25 years)" She explained.  
  
But as Eva still continued speaking something happened to her facial expression that he had never really noticed before. A sincere yet vindicated passion dripped off of her every word and her eyes grew as though speaking about this relatives theories was expanding her mind.  
  
"So if you danced with them under the rain..." Her voice trailed off as though some sadness had just entered her brain.  
  
"...you could truly see who they were." She said in barely an audible whisper as she looked up at him. But the serious look left her face as she closed her eyes and viciously shook her head waving the towel she held in her hand like some signature of her Grandmother's faultiness.  
  
"How silly right? I don't know... I mean I only really knew her for the first couple years of my life, and she was already pretty sick by then."  
  
"This her?" Asked Toad as he carefully as he picked up a homemade picture frame that held the black and white picture of a sculpted young girl with her hair pulled into a bun and her eyes that seemed to hold fire. Eva nodded according as another smile crept across her face.  
  
"Sorry." She said suddenly. "I guess my inner child just got the best of me out there." Eva stood up and threw her towel in a nearby laundry basket as she did so.  
  
"Is it true what they say...about mutants?" Receiving no verbal response to this Eva turned to see her him still staring at the picture he had previously touched.  
  
She didn't need to actually say it. He already knew what she was think when she asked him that. Just trying not to be completely rude he reminded himself. But really she meant, "Are you all a bunch of violent freaks?"  
  
"I guess it depends." He said before he could stop the words from coming out of his mouth. Eva walked closer to his whispering form as if expecting him to stop talking at any moment.  
  
"Depends on what?" She asked with a shaky voice. He smiled.  
  
"On where you come from."  
  
And somehow Eva understood this. Five words in that voice of his were enough to slice through her heart a million times over. She shivered when she remembered the scars she had seen on him once before. His eyes were black and hollow for a reason.  
  
But it wasn't because he was a mutant.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Monday morning came with a unfortunate buzz for Eva. In fact it was quite literal as her alarm clock pounded loud and crude messages of getting up. Rolling over to her side and throwing it to the floor stopped the noise but soon she was rid of that another element came into play.  
  
"Eva come on honey time to get up. You going to be late for school if you don't-" Yet her Mother's rampage through her room stopped short as she finally caught sight of it.  
  
"What the hell?" Asked her Sarah as she surveyed the floor. And seeing as how her mother never swore Eva was obliged to rise from her post at the end of her bed.  
  
Preparing to respond there really wasn't nothing she could say. Two large wet towels hung from the floor, while her wet sweatshirt also hung from a tipped over chair. Along with a few other things the room was a total disaster area.  
  
"Sleeping walking?" Offered Eva to her mother she began to clean up.  
  
"Eva your father and I will be at a commissions meeting later today in the late afternoon. You know how these things can go so we probably wont be home until late. And I want you to-"  
  
Sarah simply sighed and rubbed her temples. "You left the window open." She said in a sentence-like manner.  
  
Eva who was still barely registering that it was indeed morning had yet to hear a word her mother said. She did however hear the gasp she made as she attempted to close the window once more.  
  
"What Ma?" Asked the girl in her bed with a sleepy voice. Her mother turned as so she could no longer block her vision.  
  
A large yellow rose sat perfectly untouched on the windowsill.  
  
Eva felt herself growing into giant smile.  
  
It was going to be a good day.  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
I know this one isn't very long or anything but it kind of prepares us for the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one, and please R&R!!! 


	9. Anxiety anyone?

Once again thanks everybody for the positive reviews. I'm glad (and surprised) that everybody seems to be enjoying this story. Well anyway, here's chapter 9  
  
()()()()()()()()()  
  
It seemed stupid as he began to think about it. The whole night in general had seemed stupid in some weird way. Like a misguided dream that somehow ended up in his head. And part of that dream was that after nearly an hour of mindless talking she had dozed off in her bed: sleeping upside down, and looking like she was a thousand miles away from herself.  
  
After saying good-bye to her sleeping form he found himself walking mindlessly up and down her street glancing up at her closed window as he passed her house. The rain had stopped by now but was followed by a light mist that seemed to keep him cold and wet anyway. He wasn't quite sure why he didn't want to go back to the base. Something about it just seemed so morbid and forbidding, (which normally he didn't mind)) but a queasy feeling in his stomach just made him feel like he belonged here.  
  
He stopped his pacing at the thought and shook his head. No! He didn't belong here! That was Magneto's whole freaken point! He sighed as he took his hands out of his pockets: green, webbed, and ugly.  
  
Everything but normal.  
  
Everything that wasn't her.  
  
He violently stuck his hands back in his pockets while he angrily swore to himself.  
  
Look at this place! A voice inside his head screamed.  
  
People have clean cut yards, and matching patio furniture, and white fences, and big gardens with-  
  
He willed his conscience away as he stared at a nearby fence. His mouth dropped in slight amazement, because among the somewhat tame weeds that climbed the fence stood proudly and unabashed by the rain was a single yellow rose.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"But what we have to remember about French literature is that it is often based on concepts of irony and-"  
  
The gray-haired teacher with far too many different pairs of glasses decided to take hers off at that moment and address the half sleeping girl at the front of the class.  
  
"Will you be joining us today Ms. Johnson? Or perhaps tomorrow is better for you?"  
  
"Sorry" muttered the disheveled form as she stood up straight in the cold metal chair that seemed to be mocking her as it made an extremely loud squeak at the sound of her adjustment.  
  
"Anyway," began the teacher totally ignoring the insistent in which half of the class was now staring at them. But once again this old woman had yet to receive any respect as Eva's desperate attempts to rid the sleep out of her eyes was interrupted by a poking at her spine.  
"You OK?" Asked the unidentified female behind her.  
  
"Yeah," she whispered while still looking straight ahead of her, "Just fine."  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
Private school.  
  
He wasn't surprised really with that particular choice he decided after he had gotten confortable on top of the old stone building that actually reminded him more of a church than a school.  
  
After once again being asked some unwanted questions by his annoying coworkers, he had of coursed grabbed a few hours of sleep before heading out once more to "follow" his latest project although he had to admit she was becoming more and more entertaining by the moment. Three bells rang in his head before he noticed the trails of upperclassmen heading outside for lunch on the picnic area. Toad scratched his skin uneasily. The sun tended to burn him after a short period of time, and he squinted as he looked up. Well if he wasn't already damned he would have to say any traces of a storm the night before had certainly left. And although a certain crispiness clung to the air the sun had a way of influencing itself to the warm breeze that floated by.  
  
()()()()()()()()  
  
Luckily lunch had come quicker that Eva had originally suspected. And upon Jainy's instance she followed her energetic friends outside. She had to admit despite the struggle that they had put up to get her out here she kind of liked the pleasant weather that had turned up. She smiled beneath her sunglasses as she looked up. Funny. She thought.  
  
A movement caught her eye as she glanced toward the roof. But figuring it was nothing more than a janitor working on some leaks in the ceiling she turned to her friends and was glad to feel the warm sun on he back of her neck as she exchanged the latest gossip.  
  
But it wasn't until a few minutes later when an creepy feeling washed over. This feeling was followed seconds later by the sound of a shrill scream coming from the indoor cafeteria of the school.  
  
Brigit McFearin was a wreck as she hammered herself out the doors and sent dozens of eyes upon her scared face. Mumbling and hysterical at the same time concerned faces surrounded her at once.  
  
"Hey what's the matter?" Asked Jainy through the noise.  
  
"Mutants...city hall, big explosion...people dead."  
  
Shocks and gasps followed the broken answer as people began running inside to confirm the news. But soon Eva stood alone only remembering the words her mother had repeated to her earlier:  
  
"...be at a commissions meeting later today in the late afternoon..."  
  
Filled with terror and panic she decided to get the actual story before going further with her fear. Jainy caught her as she began running inside a grave look stood firmly on her face.  
  
"Promise me you won't panic..." She began holding Eva's elbows firmly. Yet Eva could still feel shaking fingers attached to them. All around her details were being spread and before she knew it several more of the anti-mutant people she had known of were heading for the parking lot.  
  
"What is going on!?" Eva said finally losing her patience.  
  
Jainy swallowed hard. "During the commissions thing at the city hall building there was an explosion. Nobody knows if anybody was really hurt, but I guess they believe a group of mutants were involved. I...I heard they used their powers or something and a couple of anti-mutant protesters outside were killed...but...Eva Wait!"  
  
Eva spent no time waiting. What if something had happened to her parents? Thoughts of them lying dead somewhere in pool of their own blood crossed her mind. She made a dash for the parking lot, Jainy was at her side a second later. And seeing the tears beginning to swell up in her fiend's eyes she acted loyally.  
  
"We'll take my car." She said. 


	10. Riot

Hello once again! Okay this one is a bit of an action based chapter, hope you guys enjoy and please keep the review coming!  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
The sounds of hundreds of feet running along the crowded street could be heard along with several other elements of the chaotic scene.  
  
Eva nearly ran out of the car at the sight. She had seen protests gone bad before but nothing like this had ever been in her view before. People were scattered together all yelling and screaming obscene things about mutants, while police and other officials were desperately trying to keep them from the city hall steps. Which was a task they were clearly failing as several people had gotten passed them and began banging on the doors with an incomparable fury.  
  
As Jainy parked the car several feet away from the sight Eva ran up ahead of her, ignoring her friend's warnings and losing her in the crowd as she ran into the herds of people. Elbows met her in the face, and the smells of about a dozen different colognes entered her nose.  
  
Eva turned her head sharply at the sound of glass shattering, she could see incredibly large men with bricks armed in their hands happily aiming at the windows of the large building.  
  
A voice came to the ears of the mad people as a obese police officer with extremely gray hair walked out of a car and began yelling through a microphone.  
  
"Hey!" He yelled for attention. Although this had to be repeated several times before anyone actually took notice.  
  
"Listen up everyone!" He roared. "We realize everyone here has something to say but this isn't the time...or the place to get your voices heard! Now there are people inside here that need our help, but we can't do that if everyone doesn't leave the area now! If you chose not to then we'll have to start taking arrests and-"  
  
The sudden movement of the ground shaking beneath them silenced the man...and everyone else for that matter.  
  
"Earthquake!" Some woman shouted.  
  
"No! It's just them damned mutants again!" Screamed back another man.  
  
At this comment more uprising began and people once again began angrily shouting. "Those freaks don't deserve any rights!"  
  
Meanwhile the ground shaking beyond them had increased with trumped power and began knocking several people off their feet. Unfortunately Eva was one of them, but as she started to head back to her feet a large and probably overweight man pushed her back down.  
  
People were running away now. And despite her sincere try foot after foot seemed to trample upon her back until firm hands grabbed her by her waist and threw her into place. Blinking several times and throwing the hair back from her face she recognized her latest helper.  
  
"Let's go!" Screamed Toad over the sounds of fire horns, screams, and people who appeared to be truly terrified as they ran passed them with widespread horror.  
  
"I can't my parents are still inside!" She screamed back.  
  
Waiting to argue but leaving without words the shaking ground began to crack and fold into two. Along with the faded out pavement the city hall building itself started falling to the foundation and splitting itself in half.  
  
Filled with shock and confusion Toad grabbed Eva's hand and didn't wait for her response as he began running and dragged her along the now abandoned street with him.  
  
"Wait! Let me go! I have to help them!" She screeched as she wiggled in his grasp. But ignoring her completely he led her down the calmer end of the busted up street. And crossing into a nearby ally behind the town's famous deli he was surprised to hear feet above them on the roof.  
  
A bright red pair of eyes were luring above the gutter...A smiling set of fangs attached to the same face.  
  
Squinting to the sight Toad couldn't help but wonder if he had seen those eyes somewhere before. Looking around to the girl out of breath at his side he was ready to ask her the same, but a violent and unlikely response came from her mouth.  
  
"What is the matter with you!" The shaking had stopped and her question rang in the air like an accessory to the event.  
  
Looking back at her furious eyes he was about to say something when she interrupted the thought.  
  
"They could be hurt or something!" Ignoring his confused face she began to run back in the direction of the strange silence but he caught up with her quickly.  
  
"What in the bloody hell are you talking about?!"  
  
Pushing him aside she continued on her journey yelling names that he assumed belonged to her parents.  
  
"You could of been killed out there! Probably would of been! Forget the concepts of hero, even if your parents were in trouble you couldn't of done anything to help them anyway!"  
  
She shook her head as she folded her arms across her chest willing herself not to listen to him.  
  
"What were you even doing here anyway? And why-"  
  
Her sharp intake of breath scared him as he knew the accusation that was coming. She briskly turned around and her eyes widened with fear as she asked.  
  
"Were you...were you a part of this?" She asked through a whisper. But not giving him time to answer she turned and began running faster than ever to the sight where dozen of police and fire personal were now gathered.  
  
"Eva wait!" He retreated yet still trying to keep attention away from Eva and himself from the police officers that were now looking in their direction. Unable to find the words he tried to pull her back to him to avoid staring eyes. But her cold and distant flinch away from his hand said everything that needed to be said.  
  
"Just stay away from me..." She said with a cracking shiver. Turning and running she felt her heart unclenching at the sight of her parents being escorted to a small ambulance parked nearly on the curb.  
  
"Mom! Dad!" She called.  
  
"Eva?" Said he father as he turned around to be embraced by his only daughter. His shirt covered in dust and his jacket torn, not to mention the broken glasses that lye in his hands along with a bloody hand. But other than that he was no more worn for the ware. Her mother was a similar story as the conversation she was having with a nearby officer was cut short by Eva.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked through well-deserved tears.  
  
"I heard what happen at school and-" She folded herself into her mother's shaking form and hugged her until her Father grabbed each of them by the shoulders and folded them into his own hug.  
  
None of them noticed the somber, green face in the tree tops.  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Awww! Poor rejected Toad! 


	11. The Twisted Hands of Fate

As pathetic as it is this story has become my main hobby of interest so expect a lot of updates in the nearby future!  
  
Guin: Your catching on to my plan! Stop being so clever or I'll have to get my flame-thrower out!  
  
Italia12: Ray Park may be hot, but there is no denying that he is the centerpiece of evil!  
  
Thanks for the reviews everyone.  
  
()()()()()()  
  
"We were all very lucky." Repeated Robert Jackson for about the fifth time. This time his comment received no response, but the first few times he said it a whirl of agreeing feedback headed his way.  
  
"I still can't believe it." Muttered Eva over her quickly growing cold hot chocolate  
  
Sarah joined the silent and morbid looking group at the kitchen table. They sat in silence for several moments each completing their own thoughts. Eva had a hard time believing that this still wasn't some weird dream that had turned into a nightmare. After answering a few question by the police they were escorted home with the promise that a squad car would be patrolling their street every ten minutes. It was hard to digest the idea that people were actually trying to kill the chair people inside the building at the time. But apparently something with their explosion device went wrong and they distracted far too much attention than wanted so one of them who had been out of sight began the little earthquake to clear the scene. But police believed they didn't continue on with their plans because of the number of people involved at the time.  
  
"Do they even have the faintest idea who was responsible for such a thing?" Asked Eva's mother carefully.  
  
"No." Replied her husband with a frustrated tone that actually scared Eva a little and forced her to look at the angry man now leaving the table.  
  
"Apparently, they don't even have any suspects in custody." He paused for several more minutes as if deciding whether to continue with his answer.  
  
"Security should have been more watchful... And what if they had succeed with their plans?!" He huffed the expression as though he didn't want to even mention the worse case possibility  
  
The room grew silent once again. And Eva's now icy cold chocolate drink was been victim to her spoon as she tried to stir away the negative thoughts.  
  
"Do they know if that one lady is going to make it Dad?" She asked through gritted teeth.  
  
One more sad name to add to the near tragedy as a seven month pregnant woman had gotten trampled in the crowd forcing complications with her baby and premature labor.  
  
"Well...I talked to Barbaric earlier and he said that at this point the odd aren't in favor. But if she and her baby make it through the night then their probably out of the woods."  
  
"I'm going to bed." Eva said shortly as her father made that statement. Her chair squeaked painfully as she backed out of the room and made it for the stairway.  
  
"Goodnight honey." Said her mother.  
  
"Sweet dreams..."  
  
Not bothering to go through the exhausting act of getting changed Eva slummed into her unmade bed and fingered the closed latch of her nearby window before she took a vase that held a recent gift and placed it in the garbage pale nearby.  
  
A bitter tear slid down her cheek as her tiredness gave in to her request to sleep.  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
"What in the hell was that suppost to be?!" Yelled the enraged mutant as he stormed into Magneto's office without noticing the rest of the confused bodies nearby.  
  
"We were just wondering the same thing." Said the older mutant calmly. "We were hoping you could tell us..."  
  
"Wait a minute! You mean you didn't set that up?" Asked Toad.  
  
Magneto sighed with impatience. "Of course not."  
  
"But whoever did definitely had a deadly agenda." Observed Sabertooth. Mystique nodded in agreement.  
  
"Where were you all day Mortimer?" She said looking at his disheveled form with more than just her eyes.  
  
"Doing my god damn job." He retreated quickly.  
  
She rolled her eyes and was about to reply when Magneto did it for her.  
  
"You missed the check in again today Mortimer. How is your progress with the Jackson girl anyway?"  
  
The other mutants in the room eyed him suspiciously as he searched his brain for an appropriate answer.  
  
"Fine." He said simply enough. Magneto gave him one of those know-it-all smiles that just made Toad want to break his jaw, but restraining himself he asked more questions.  
  
"Are we saying theres a new player to this game?"  
  
The room was branded with silence. "Sabertooth will take care of this latest interference, you just worry about what your suppost to do." He said accusingly.  
  
Huffing with an annoying sigh Toad retreated to his room taking his enraged temper back to the punching back once more.  
  
Filled with self loathing and disgust he continued to replay the scene over and over in his head. And with each punch he brought himself closer and closer to that hateful look in her eye. How could he of possibly complicated for even a second that she was different? He wanted to smack himself, she was just like every other closed-minded human being he had ever encountered.  
  
And yet he had seen that look from so many people before. Why couldn't she be different? Why did he, this freak of a person have to end up losing any opportunities at friendship?  
  
He stopped his rampage on the helpless punching bag and sat in a folded out chair.  
  
Because he was a freak that was why. He was an outcast. Branded for life by a few strings of DNA that decided that he should be a mutant.  
  
He was a freak to the world and that was never going to change.  
  
And neither was she.  
  
He could feel his brow furrow at the realization and standing up he proceeded to hurt the punching bag in more deranged ways as kicks from every angle headed it's way. He had done enough observing. There was no need to go near Eva Johnson until Saturday...  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Aww! Once again poor Toad is all alone! 


	12. Forgiveness

Here's a little happy chapter for all those people threatening me if I didn't write one otherwise. Anyway, I live to serve so enjoy!  
  
()()()()()()()  
  
A cloudy casket welded itself to the sky early the next morning as Eva lazily made her way downstairs. As she witnessed her mother's face the obvious trauma of the night before had clearly taken a toll on her: deep dark circles laced her eyes. And it was pretty clear that she hadn't received much sleep the precious night.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Eva asked as she took an anxious look at the microwave clock.  
  
"Figured you needed the extra half an hour of sleep." She said offering her a weak smile as she handed her an empty glass and pointed to the pitcher of orange juice at the table.  
  
"Where's Dad?" She asked looking around at the empty room.  
  
"Went into work early." She said while at the beginning of buttering a piece of toast. Eva nodded un-surprised, But rejected the piece of toast her mother sat in front of her.  
  
"I better get going...I'll probably be late for school as it is." And grabbing her backpack she straightened her collar that was becoming dreadfully tight when her mother suddenly placed her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Eva...evreything will be OK. Try not to worry too much." She turned to meet her Mother's heartbreaking face.  
  
"I can't help it..."  
  
"I know sweets. But being the parent and all it is my right to worry the most around here so...don't go taking credit away from me." She said with a playfully raised eyebrow.  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Two silent figures walked briskly down a crowed hallway. Keeping their eyes acquainted with the ground alone to keep from noticing the many faces looking in their direction.  
  
"I can't believe people are still talking about this." Said Jainy as she and Eva finally reached their lockers.  
  
"I know, don't they have anything better to talk about?"  
  
"Well I guess it's mostly because that news station caught a glimpse of you in the middle of a "family moment" and they showed it about a half a dozen times before the day was through."  
  
Eva pondered that silently for a moment before she mentally agreered. Everything had gone back to their normally insane routine at home, but thanks to that damned news station just about the entire city knew of her familles ordeal and it was basically the only thing anybody could talk about.  
  
Even the previous day after it had happened she was bombarded with questions before she even got to her homeroom.  
  
"Was it true you almost died? Did your father really get eaten alive by a cannibal mutant..." So on and so forth was driving her insane. But that wasn't the worst part about her week so far. She couldn't concentrate on anything but a sad and hurt face that she had left behind that day.  
  
"Hey Eva, earth to Eva!" Yelled her friend as she waved a hand in front of her face attracting more attention than necessary.  
  
"Whoa? Oh yeah sorry I'm still here..." She said shutting her locker and adjusting the books that threatened to fall out of her hands.  
  
"Still thinking about that guy?" Asked Jainy with a whisper so others around couldn't hear.  
  
Eva shrugged silently. "I guess I kind of overreacted...but...what if I wasn't you know?"  
  
Jainy placed a conforting hand around her friend's shoulder and in an attempt to cheer her up said. "Hey what do you say you and I have a girls night! You know rent movies, binge on popcorn, massive amounts of ice cream?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Oh come on it'll be fun..." Said Jainy with a tempting smile on her face.  
  
"No offense Jain' but last time you promised me fun...it kind of ended up in disaster."  
  
Jainy folded at this remark and pouted like a child as they entered their adjoining classrooms. And unable to resist at the look Eva chuckled slightly and forced a smile.  
  
"OK...Why not?"  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Trails of smoke clouded the gray and depressing ceiling as his last cigarette burned itself into nothingness. Toad shifted his head over to the chipped ashtray that was filled to the brim with ashes and twisted buds.  
It was funny how quickly he had taken up the unhealthy habit of chain smoking. But hey it did pass the time.  
  
The unfair, slow, miserable time.  
  
He forced himself to shift to a sitting position on the side of his bed and twisted his neck as he did so. He didn't actually realize how long he had been there but from the lack of light in the room he probably would of guessed that it was indeed late in the evening. He moved his unwilling legs to the ground and stood up to hear the sound of his entire lower torso crack at the weight beneath him.  
He needed to get out.  
  
But more importantly he decided: he needed more cigarettes.  
  
()()()()()  
  
Ten minutes later he wasn't sure how he ended up in her neighborhood. He sighed as he walked along the freshly conceived sidewalk. Shifting unforgettably as he concealed his face and hands as every walker passed by, he stopped as he reached the front of his house.  
A nearby tree tempted him...It wouldn't hurt to just check up on her would it? He cautiously approached the tree.  
  
It was after his job right?  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Eva huffed nosily as she landed on the sofa in the center of the family room. She couldn't freaken believe it! After she had gotten herself all excited about it, and after they picked out the movies, and ice cream flavors and everything Jainy had the nerve to cancel? What was the matter with her? She swore every time she let herself depend on that girl she found a way to let her down.  
  
She sighed and threw her head back as she instinctively kicked Bruno off her mother's prized throw rug. She pushed play on the DVD remote as she dug into the large bowl of buttery popcorn and began wallowing in the quickly on coming bad mood.  
  
As the movie continued on Eva shivered. Why did she voluntary pick out something scary? Grabbing a blanket and molding her form to it she covered her eyes as the main character in question pulled back the shower curtain only to find...  
  
()()()()()()  
  
A earth shattering scream rang through his ears as he fell from the oak tree he had become so accustomed with. And after quickly spitting out several pieces of grass that made it's way into his mouth as he landed face first onto the ground he followed the sound of the cry only to find himself at a large bay window toward the back of the house. The scream had stopped but was followed by several whimpering sounds, and to his horror was only followed by another.  
  
Not wasting any time he ran to the back door reaching for the doorknob but then it began turning on it's own. And by the time the door slid open he was greeted with a quivering, averted face.  
  
"AHHHHHHH!" Shouted the girl as she took in the form of the stranger.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She shouted nearly as she grabbed the place where her heart was and gripped her forehead accordingly.  
  
"I..heard you scream..um..." He said suddenly feeling very stupid and out of place.  
He groaned in frustration as her eyes remained widened and her heart still pounding in her chest.  
  
"You scared the hell out of me!" She reasoned as she grabbed his arm and began cautiously looking around. "Get in here before my neighbors think I'm being attracted or something..." And with that she pulled a firm grasp on his arm and swiftly pulled him inside and shoved the familiar dog outside.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Ask asked again but with a calmer tone as her wrapped her arms around herself like she was suddenly cold.  
  
"I..I was in the neighboorhood...um...I heard you scream..." He said stuttering under his own stupidly. And apparently this answer was enough because the frightened look on her face softened as she noticed his nervously shaking hands and she sighed at the sad eyes.  
  
"Well I was watching a movie...a scary one when Bruno came up behind me and kind of freaked me out. I guess I got a set of lungs on me huh?" She said with a somber smile that he had been dying to see for days. He nodded silently watching her unchanged expression as he headed for the door.  
  
"Well.." He said as he turned around to make his leave.  
  
"Wait-" His hand paused on the cold door knob as he silently prayed in the root of his mind.  
  
"I should explain about the other day..." She turned away as she said the beckoning him to follow her. He cautiously obeyed and stayed several steps behind her as he entered the same room he had slept in a few nights earlier and noticed the still screen of a dead man on her t.v. As she turned it off and fell to the material of the couch.  
  
"I kind of freaked out because I thought my parents were in danger...I realize that's no excuse to of thrown wild accessions at you and everything. But I thought it over, and it seems unlikely that after all the times you've seemed to come to my rescue you would betray me now..." A pang of something he didn't recognize filled his heart.  
  
Guilt.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He looked up to her eyes that held a lot more anguish than they probably deserved. That lovely face of hers sculpted to make others laugh, to make other people see her for this person she was always expected to be. He saw her in that moment. In that first apology he had heard directed at him in a very long time.  
  
"Would you forgive me if I offered you a wide variety of ice cream and the entertainment of some very lame horror movies?"  
  
He smiled at her offer and pulled his hands from his pockets, suddenly forgetting the cigarettes he left behind.  
  
"Sure."  
  
()()()()()()  
  
Awwwwwwwwwwww! And all's right with the world once again...but not for long! (evil laugh) 


	13. Movie Night

OK everybody here's chapter 13. A really short one I know, but it's just of an in-between thing. So just read it and be happy!  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"That is so not true and you know it!" Squealed the barefoot girl who was now playfully throwing a pillow at he green man lying confortablely on her sofa.  
  
"It is to, anything that happy must be evil!" He retreated as he threw the pillow back at her in the same manor.  
  
Eva shook her head dismissing the imitating argument the couple were having. But she was interrupted by the sound of her companion laughing at her facial expression.  
  
"Brain freeze! Brain freeze!" She yelped as she nearly dropped her bowl of mint chocolate chip on the floor.  
  
"Grrrr!" She insisted as her feet violently flew around nearly kicking her friend in the face.  
  
"Hey watch it there!" He said in-between his gulps of laugher. He was beginning to learn that the look on her face at that moment probably wouldn't be seen very often so he just had to take advantage.  
  
"Gee thanks for the help." She said sarcastically as she began to calm down several minutes later.  
  
"No problem." He said with the most self-assured smirk she had seen all night. And she decided to enjoy the sight for the small moment it was there, because it was so unlike the person she knew that sat next to her she wasn't sure if it was him for a moment.  
  
Noticing her intense stare he pulled his face away from the look of curiosity in her eyes. Looking at him like she was trying very heard to figure something out.  
  
"Toad?" He sighed at the sound of that name. Somehow it didn't seem right coming from her mouth. He didn't wanted to tell her his real name, maybe it would of been better than the mocking sounding like with the rest of the Brotherhood.  
  
"Why did you come to America?" She asked suddenly. And not exactly being the question he was expecting he was ready to answer when he suddenly remembered that the answer wasn't a pleasant one.  
  
"I...didn't have any choice." He stated looking straight ahead of him. His voice becoming cold and hard like he had a rock had been inserted in the center of his throat.  
  
Deciding quickly that the past wasn't the best conversation topic of the moment she quickly turned her attention to the blank television in front of her. Sliding down on the flood grabbed his attention and she could feel his eyes on her as she inserted another disk and happily pressed play. She backed to her original spot and smirked happily at his confused face.  
  
Then suddenly and without warning images of Carebears popped onto the screen.  
  
"No!" He called ignoring her roaring laugher as she grabbed at her stomach to keep herself upright.  
  
"It the best cartoon in the world...and NOW you know it." She managed through one of her fits of laughter.  
  
Toad however was clutching to the sofa cushions to dear life with his mouth open in awl and his eyes fixed in mock horror.  
  
"No make it stop!" He began to plead. But soon even he couldn't control the swell of joy he felt in his chest from watching her laughing, and soon joined her in the childish act.  
  
VXVXVXVXVXV  
  
A large and angry pair of brown eyes watched the happy two through the bay window where the curtains hadn't bothered to be closed.  
  
"I knew he was up to something!" Sneered Sabertooth as he began to explain to the calm Mystique in the room.  
  
"You should of seen them together..." He whispered with disgust "It was like...they were friends or something."  
  
Re-crossing her legs for the second time Mystique began studding her nails. "She is clearly distracting him from the mission at hand." She said plainly enough.  
  
"I agree." He said turning to face her. "But what are we going to do about it?"  
  
Mystique smiled slowly and shook her head as though she was reviling an already simple fact. "We get rid of the distraction."  
  
"I don't think Eric would appreciate that." He replied in a low tone.  
  
She sighed clearly becoming annoying. "Well Eric doesn't understand these things like we do. Besides," She said as she stood and walked up to him. Obviously annoyed that she had to explain the situation further.  
  
"We only need her until Saturday anyway right? So who's going to notice if she doesn't come back...?"  
  
Both villains nodded and smiled with the verbal agreement. 


	14. Making Plans

This chapter is another short one...I guess it should of been in the previous chapter but oh well! Anyway this one gets a little confusing but everything will be explained later...so here we go enjoy!  
  
XVXVXVXVXV  
  
A warm and soft head of hair lye on his chest, rising and falling with his every breath. But completely unaware of this he didn't notice how her entire body was cuddled next to his. Legs formed around other legs and her arms folded happily across his torso. And he of course had his arm stretched protectively around her shoulder enjoying the warmth and the feeling of having her slow, steady breath follow his.  
  
The t.v had long ago been turned off and the only light that entered the room was from the overhead light above the sink in the kitchen. But even through protest some light from the distant moon could been seen reflecting through the windows.  
  
Toad heard her sigh as he shifted his weight. And to the exact moment could almost hear her eyes flutter open. But realizing where she was and who she was wrapped around Eva quickly found herself back to the normal sitting positing aside him. His eyes weren't quite open, but she could tell he was awake. But she smiled at the attempt, and leaning into his face just slightly she made sure he could hear her restrained whisper.  
  
"I know your in there...you can't fool me." She whispered, but when no response came from the statement so she decided to take a different approach and smirking as she leaned into his side even more she began to sing:  
  
"We'll make a great pair We'll stick together through and through Like glue.  
I don't wanna be a cook or a fireman.  
And I don't wanna play trombone in the marching band.  
I just wanna be a care Bear Like you!  
I just wanna be a Care Bear..."  
  
The stupid song seemed innocent enough yet she couldn't herself to stop laughing as the peaceful look on his face turned to one that look like he had just eaten his socks.  
  
"I REALLY hate you right now..." He stated with his eyes still closed. But couldn't help but join her a moment later in his uncharacteristic laugher.  
  
"Well...never the less," She said glancing at her watch. "You better get going, my parents are going to be home soon."  
  
"Yeah." He said with slight smile on his face as he picked himself up off the couch but stopped dead in his tracks as a cold rush of air hit his side where she had just been. He looked back only to see her staring at the spot where he had just gotten up. He noticed her shivering.  
  
"Um...bye then." He stated with aggregation as he headed for the door.  
  
"Yeah bye." Eva but her lip nervously. "You want to hang out again...some time?" She asked slowly and without the slight hint of hesitation.  
  
"Yeah..." He mumbled with a sadder tone than she would of expected. "I'd like that.  
  
"How about this Saturday?" She asked with a pleasant curiosity. She couldn't see him cringe with regret as he mentioned that day.  
"Yeah...I'll see you then." And before Eva could reply he was out the door and had faded into the night.  
  
Furring her brow in frustration she sighed helplessly as she slid further into the couch wondering why his mood had turned so morbid.  
  
XVXVXVXVXV  
  
Friday.  
  
Damn. Toad thought as he violently shook his head. The calendar betrayed him once again as he started blankly at the upcoming date.  
  
Now what in the hell was he going to do? This wasn't right...  
  
You have a job to do and you know that! Screamed the more demanding voice in his head. He sat up and began to pace the room and ruffling his hand through his hair as he had the instant memory of a certain blonde beauty sleeping at his side tenderly and undisturbed.  
  
"This can't happen..." He muttered unaware to the body entering the room.  
  
"What can't happen?" Asked Mystique as she gracefully made her way into the room.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked through gritted teeth with his back still turned. She made a disapproving sound and sat at the table in the center of the room.  
  
"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to answer a question with a question?" She asked with obvious amusement in her voice.  
  
"Well...they obviously haven't...have they?" He replied with the scarism turned on to full speed as he stayed still not wanting to see the smile he knew was creeping up on her face.  
  
The look of boredom quickly laced her face. "I just wanted to ask you something...Mortimer" The way she said that name made him tightened his grip on the fixture of the wall his was holding onto.  
  
"Do you have any bad habits?" She asked not waiting for him to answer.  
  
"What in the bloody hell are you talking about?" He replied angrily  
  
"It's a simply question really. Do you have any bad habits?"  
  
"Nope." He said desperate to get her to leave him alone and let him think. "I'm the exact definition of perfect! Even the pope is jealous of my manners!"  
  
She of course didn't laugh simply kicked the chair she was sitting in across the room before exiting.  
  
He turned sharply at the destroyed chair in the corner. Now what in the hell was that about? He asked himself yet received no answers, just the lonely images in his head of the girl he couldn't get off his mind.  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
(Evil music plays in the background) What will happen next?!?! 


	15. Brewing Trouble

"So what are you doing today?" Asked Sarah as she slowly molded brownie batter to a glass pan.  
  
"Oh..um...just hanging out with a friend." Eva grabbed a yogurt from the fridge before running to her room to avoid more questions. She wasn't in the mood for explanations now, she was just trying to get rid of the headache the threatened to take over her head.  
  
But she snapped her fingers in remembrance as she turned swiftly and asked, "Is Dad going into work today?" Her mother waited a moment before answering, "Yes...but he's not leaving until noon. I guess that's the only decent part about working on a Saturday."  
  
"Right." Eva sighed so deeply that she could feel it in the pit of her stomach. Her mother didn't notice the wave of nervousness that washed over her as she looked at her watch.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"Ouch! The little brat bit me!" Growled Sabertooth as he raised his hand to the squirming child he was holding by the collar.  
  
"Don't." Stated Magneto simply as he looked at the Cat man and his hostage sternly. "Take him downstairs and for heaven's sake make sure the door is locked." He said with an annoyed complexion.  
  
The child struggled under his soccer uniform as he silently wished he hadn't run off from the park after his game. After going through several doors they fell upon a closed room with no windows, no vents, just a solid square that was as bland as anything else could be. As the boy was shoved into the room with no lighting and he had to adjust his eyes before he noticed a small figure sitting in the corner nearby. He shut the door angrily behind him and he and the figure were left alone.  
  
"Hi." He boy greeted.  
  
"Hi." Said the girl little girl in the corner still wearing her pajamas sniffing through her tears.  
  
The three villains we all know so well were sitting in deranged silence when Magneto finally clenched his teeth with an comment where his annoyance was clearly showing through.  
  
"We need the other girl before we can begin making phone calls...where is he?" No one had an answer for this, but Mystique and Sabertooth looked at eachother from across the table with a knowing look.  
  
"Mortimer may need...a little help with his assignment." Suggested Mystique.  
  
"How so?" Snapped Magneto.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Toad sat impatiently on the thick branch of a pine tree at the beginning of the street. It was easy to stay out of sight there, and seeing as how the property didn't belong to anyone it was easy to see why it was quickly becoming his new favorite place to reside.  
But he didn't have time to think about that now. Too many other complicating thoughts were running through his mind, and all at the same time they charged his brain like some metal clog. His breath caught in this throat as he saw her coming out of her house. With her arms folded protectively across her chest and her hair pulled up despite the oncoming cold weather he had never known anything so beautiful. That was until moments later a man figure followed her out the doorway. He gray head looked down on her with an illuminating pride that made his realize he could only be one person.  
  
Robert Jackson himself.  
  
And suddenly Toad wondered what the big deal was about this guy anyway. He told jokes that was making his daughter laugh, he made promises he kept. Why was he going through all of this just to get him to sign some stupid piece of paper?  
  
But wait. Was he even going to go through this? He pictured the possible approaches to the situation but none of them left him pleased. Was he really going to kidnap this girl, hold her hostage, terrify her parents,...? But then what was going to happen? Magneto never actually stated what they were going to do when they had gotten what they wanted...so what then?  
Then where was the happy ending where he forgot about everything and left his tree, left this down, disappeared, and never returned to the brotherhood again.  
  
Yeah right like someone like him could have a normal life.  
  
What other options did he have?  
  
Before he mentally answer that question two cars had pulled along her street, and taking their time as they slowly made their way down the street Toad had a bad feeling.  
  
It was after all a dead end street.  
  
He squinted and looked ahead, he couldn't see anyone in the boarded up cars but he could tell each of them had been through their own share of adventures. They each squeaked and spurted up the small hill and parked across the street from her house nearly taking the curb with them. Yet no movement came from either car. He swallowed hard.  
  
Something was wrong.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"OK Dad have a good day." She said for exaggeration for about the fifth time.  
  
"If I didn't know any better I would say your trying to get rid of me." Said Robert suspiciously.  
  
"Dad, come on I'm just waiting for a friend..."  
  
He laughed at his daughter's impatience. "OK then, I'll see you around seven when I get home." And quickly placing a kiss on Eva cheek he headed for his vehicle now begging to be drived. Eva sighed and stared at her watch continuously. She furrowed her brow in confusion as she noticed the two strange cars parked along side the street.  
Steeping off the porch and into the damp grass she saw two figures get out of one car, and three get out of the other. Not even hesitating they headed towards her home. Looking around Eva assumed they were lost or had the wrong address for their destination.  
  
"May I help you?" She asked with her head titled to the side desperately trying to ignore the tingling she felt in her head.  
  
One of the figures had his head covered in a ragged sweatshirt and hands wrapped in gloves, similar to the others around him taking a step back she was about to repeat the question but before she could say another word a firm punch hit the side of her face sending her to the ground and into a quick trip of unconsiness  
  
"Hey what the hell? Get away from her!" Screamed Robert Jackson to the five figures as they hovered over his unmoving daughter. Dropping his briefcase and running toward the scene was stopped short as one of the figures stuck out a calm and steady hand and small yet powerful fireball exploded from it sending Robert flying three feet in the air before landing violently on his back.  
  
But before he could get himself to register what was going on another figure appeared into his sights sending punches and kicks toward the figures that were quickly sending themselves into defensive positions. Crawling to his already sore knees he began to make his way to the still unmoving figure that was his daughter.  
  
"Eva!" He called as loudly as his voice would allow. Apparently we was louder than he thought because two heads turned his way and looked at eachother before walking toward him.  
  
Inside Sarah had heard what sounded like an explosion and rushed to the window to explore and see the source of the noise. The sight of her husband and daughter lying on the ground surrounded by five face covered people and one short man who appeared to have green skin...? nearly stopped her heart but before she started screaming and running for the door she reached for the phone.  
Dialing under her shaking fingers she could hear Robert calling out to their daughter who from what Sarah could tell was beginning to shake her head and reach for her face as she began to sit up. A distant and faraway voice reached her ears:  
  
"911 do you have an emergency...?"  
  
XVXVXVXV  
  
Do you have an emergency? I know I do...it's called writer's block! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as I think it will. But...anyway try to guess the characters I'm about to throw into the mix, although I believe most lifeless wonders like myself will already have an idea! 


	16. Desperate Measures

For anybody who's not very familiar with x-men evolution might want to check out the link below and read the bio's of some characters I'm about to introduce here. And Guin your question should be answered there also. Thanks for reading so far and please  
  
When officer Allison Brandon heard the always calm voice on the dispatch of the radio she assumed that it was the same average routine: domestic dispute, some pointless form of violence, or a fender bender on some high way nearby. But as her partner in the driver's seat turned up the volume and leaned in closer Allision did the same...  
  
And she did not hear what she expected.  
  
"We have a serious situation here. No way to really describe this one, but we need any and all armed officers within distance to report to 189 Chestier Ave. Possible mutant disturbance. Repeat possible mutant disturbance. Suspects are hostile and dangerous..."  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
The sirens were only one of many faint sounds entering Eva's ears. But everything heard seemed hollow like every desperate word, every silent pleading was in a low tone. But she shook her head willing the pounding her in mind to go away.  
  
"Eva are you OK?" Asked a quiet, nervous voice in her ear. She didn't respond at first, but instead felt her body being lifted and felt herself being carried around. She thought she heard someone calling her name in the distance...but everything was so far away.  
  
The sound of an explosion entered her ears and her eyes jutted open to exam the source of the sound. She picked herself up off the ground but only to see Toad being dragged away by an extremely large figure that looked as though his clothes were about to bust though his skin. Eva quickly got herself to her feet but only to turn around to witness what seemed like a dozen police cars headed toward the end of her street. Only one of the shut-in cars she had seen earlier were in their originally parked spaces, and two not so masked figures lye in the middle of her lawn either unconscience or quickly coming to. Her father's unmoving figure in their driveway forced her legs into movement as she turned and rushed to his side. Kneeing down to him she was surprised to see tears form in her eyes so quickly but the came freely anyway.  
  
"Dad!"  
  
"Dad?" She asked quitter this time as she pressed two firm fingers to his pale neck and was rewarded with the sound of a slow yet steady heartbeat. She sighed in relief but before she had time to roll him to his side she felt the firm tug of a hand at the back of her hair, pulling what ponytail she had left and forcing her to yelp a little while doing so. She struggled under the grasps but whoever had her remained silent and just tightened his grip as she fought back. She screamed and yelled at the top of her lungs as her attacker attempted to lead her away. This time she noticed another figure sitting impatiently in the car glancing back at the officers who had now seen the trouble and set up barricades at the end of the street. Of course most of them were just getting out of their cars, slamming the doors in a violent fashion. Eva looked around but nothing came to her eye.  
  
"Let the girl go!" Screamed one officer as she steadily held up her gun and protectived herself against the door of her car.  
  
A deep laugh scared her into yelping again, despite herself as the person who had her by her scalp had now grabbed her by the back of her neck lifting her two inches off the ground. Eva struggled but found no comparable strength to attack him.  
  
"Why?" Echoed the deep voice with the firm grip. "What are you going to do about it?!" The laugher that came from his throat shocked and scared the people now pointing guns at him yet they still held to warning and threats.  
  
"No one has to get hurt here!" Screamed a mysterious detective as he and several others huddled behind a car and whispered a quiet game plan to themselves. It was obvious the overlarge 'human' was no human at all, everyone could see the fingers that gripped the girl's neck: large and the size of average hands themselves.  
  
"Yes...they do." He resigned before smirking. Another explosion emerged from the fireball throwing figure toward the officers and while they began to cower and regroup the blob began to walk to back to his vehicle but before anything could occur a large a slimy tongue grabbed the large mutant by the back of the neck himself causing his to realize his victim in surprise and send more screams from neighbors and observers flowing through the air.  
  
Toad flew from the unconscience position he had been placed in by some of his fellow mutants only to hear the screams and cries from Eva. He waited for the right distraction before attacking (he was outnumbered after all) and it was ironically enough delivered to him from the person he was attacking.  
  
Despite the difference in size he found himself throwing a couple of somewhat accurate punches before the huge man got up and snarled,  
  
"You again..."  
  
Toad quickly grabbed a fallen tree limb and smirked despite his shaking organs that he felt were about to burst within him any second.  
  
"Well good, old, predictable me..." He sarcastic comment wasn't finished however before he was being charged at by the rhino sized man yet jumped just out of his charge and out of a line of gun fire that had just begun to head in their direction.  
  
Eva watching in horror from the distance coiled herself as Toad jumbled back down from the tree landed several, kicks in the guys face and fell backward. Turning around a voice caught her eardrums,  
  
"It's OK. Come on!" Shouted the police woman now at her side. Although Eva hadn't actually heard her approach. Completely speechless to the recent events Eva felt herself shake beneath the blanket the officer had put around her shoulders. Funny how the only thing she could think of was how it wasn't cold enough to be wearing a blanket.  
The sound of another explosion retrieved her attention and once again the girl from the car that police were too afraid to approach was heading towards the scene with an creepy grace and self-confidence.  
  
Dodging punches didn't last for long before Toad got hit more times then he realized but one punch sent the ground shaking slightly and him being thrown several feet away. Without thought Eva ran to his unmoving form realizing now that her father was no longer where he was but instead was being held back by officers who were having a hard time keeping him from the scene. Yet Eva turned to Toad's unmoving form, not knowing what to do next.  
  
"Toad?" She whispered. His eyes fluttered open suddenly as if they had never been closed at all and without hesitation he grabbed her hand and headed for the unoccupied car.  
  
"Get in." He called to her. Normally she would of thought twice but the blob was once again flaring anger in their direction and she feared the thought of being left behind it him.  
  
"Freeze!" Screamed one of the mysterious detectives from earlier The gun pointed from the blob to Toad keeping the pair completely unmoving. But without more interruption he aimed the gun that looked incredibly unusual at Toad and pulled off the safety. Knowing the inevitable Eva pulled Toad's hand away to try to get him out of the way but tripped on herself instead and she fell right in front of him.  
  
The Detective pulled the trigger anyway.  
  
Toad caught her as Eva fell and as both parties seemed unsure at the events Toad slammed his fist into the car window and opened the door. He could see the keys sitting in the dashboard and quickly sat Eva's unconscience from to the backseat he got in the car and started the engine.  
  
The other officers decided to open fire at this point. But Toad saw an opening at the end of one of her neighbors hedges, the same fence he had seen just days earlier were now blocking his only possible way to the main roads.  
  
"For God's sakes do something!" Screamed Robert to anyone who would half listen. But out of ideas the large group of people stared in horror as the car drove though a lawn and though a fence.  
  
The street was quiet expect for the sound of Sarah and her cries as she broke free from her house every type of hysterical a person can be.  
  
"Arrest the other suspects!" Someone called.  
  
But they had already disappeared without 


	17. The chase begins

Hey everybody sorry the link in my last chapter got messed up. Anyway the fireball person that I kept getting asked about is a character from evo. Named Tabith Smith, her alias is Boom Boom. (kind of explains her abilities) But anyway here is chapter 17...wow officially the longest fic I've ever written, that's for reading and please review!  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
"What did you do to my daughter?!" Asked Robert as he violently grabbed the collar of Detective Miller, his efforts however were quickly discarded as another officer pulled him away. Miller shook off the attempt and flattened the beige trench coat and with an oddly calm position he answered:  
  
"Your daughter has been infected with the anormal virus." He said simply looking at anything but the distraught parents in front of him.  
  
"What the hell is that?!" Bellowed Robert barely unable to keep his rage in check.  
  
"Anormal is a foreign word for mutant," He paused and clenched his jaw before continuing. "The deadly version."  
  
A choked sob could be heard from Mrs. Jackson, yet her husband just stared at the ground shaking as his fists clenched together,  
  
"How could this have happened! Now that...that freak has her and could be doing god knows what to her! Why didn't someone just-"  
  
"Mr. Jackson," Interrupted the Detective "We understand your anger. I personal regret missing my shot but I think for right now we need to concentrate on getting your daughter back. These types of situations don't end easily. He probably only took her as a hostage to make sure we wouldn't follow him but I have agents on his track as we speak."  
  
"That virus," Said Robert stuttering as his confusion began to set in. "What's going to happen to her?" He asked quietly as though he was trying to keep his wife from hearing.  
  
"The virus effects humans differently, but without proper medical attention- lets just focus on catching her assailant."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Toad remembered bumping the top of his head as he pulled into the parking lot of some old department store toward the end of the town. He parked the car quickly and turned to the re-view mirror the cops following him seemed to of lost track of him. At least for now.  
  
He turned his attention to the unconscience girl in the backseat. Wild strains of hair covered the front of her face and quickly forming bruises could be seen around her neck. He cringed at how pale she was becoming. He saw the small hole in her shirt and pulled the material slight more open. He squinted at the small red dot that seemed to be pulsing with some sort of yellow fluid. He cringed as he heard a siren in the background.  
  
They would be looking for both of them. But what could they do for her? He reigned the mark on her stomach as one they had showed on the news earlier.  
  
She was infected.  
  
He swiftly turned to the steering wheel and gripped it tightly with anger. It should of been him lying there unknown to the world as it continued to spiral down a horrible landslide. He knew he had to do something.  
  
But what?  
  
Without think for less than a minute more he got out of the car, then opened the backseat and carried her out. Luckily the entrance to the store was on the other side of the building so no one would see him right away.  
  
He glanced around before spotting a small red car in the corner of the lot. He got through the lock and placed her in the back seat. But hot-wiring it to start it was harder to do than he originally expected because of his shaking hands... but he managed.  
  
He began driving East towards the only place he knew would be familiar with mutant issues and yet sober enough to help out a human.  
  
He began heading for Westchester, New York.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Robert practically carried his wife through the front door maybe twenty minutes later after the police had gone but it was undecided as to whether the Jackson's were still safe or not so an officer stood outside their door as Robert violently shut it.  
  
"Oh god! What if they can't find her?" Sobbed Sarah as her husband sat her down on the couch.  
  
"We have to stay positive. Eva is a reasonable girl I'm sure she'll be OK." He said through his own choked sobs as he wrapped his arms around his wife while fruitlessly trying to confort her.  
  
"Everything we be all right." He whispered in her ear, although he was doubtful she heard him because her crying was incomparable to his words.  
  
Knowing his efforts were useless Robert left her there in her own shaking grief of possibility as he headed for his office. Not bothering to hesitate before he closed the door he picked up the phone before dialing an unfamiliar number.  
  
"Colin?" He asked at the hello.  
  
"Some mutant has your sister."  
  
"We don't know." He answered after some question later.  
  
"Colin...I need you to take care of this."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Blob stomped furiously through the slick hallway nearly knocking down everything in his path while doing it. Finally stopping at a door near the end he broke the door as he entered.  
  
"Well hello to you to." Started Tabitha Smith as she lazily rolled a ball of light between her fingers.  
  
"That whole thing was a disaster." Said Wanda softly from the corner.  
  
"Yeah! Just be grateful I got you idiots out of there!" Shouted pietro.  
  
"I want that green freak." Growled Blob as he stared at the floor as though it was the sources of his problems.  
  
"Oh don't worry," Said Lance. "You will." 


	18. Unpleasant thoughts

Hey guys thanks for all the positive reviews! This chapter is a shorter one but...whatever. Enjoy!  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
It was well after midnight when a shaggy looking car pulled into the Johnson driveway. The one and only passenger got out of the vehicle and quietly closed the door as to not attract any more attention than need be. A dark figure stood in the front doorway waiting patiently for the stranger to arrive.  
  
"Hello Colin." Said Robert with lacking emotion.  
  
His son mearly nodded in response.  
  
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"This is beyond ridiculous!" raged Magneto as he paced his office with anger following his every footstep. Sabertooth however didn't finch at this behavior and simply remained silently at the comment. Mystique entered the room swaying her hips in her usual fashion.  
  
"What did you find out?"  
  
She glanced at the beast man before answering. "It would appear we weren't the only one with an idea similar to this. Another organization, has joined the ranks. From what I could tell they mostly consists of teenagers and are highly inexperienced."  
  
Magneto's eyes lit up at the statement. "Do you mean to tell me that my entire strategy has been diverted by some unskilled kids?!"  
  
"It would appear so..."  
  
He left the room without allowing her to finish the sentence. But before he could get much further his lady friend joined his side and gave away more unrealistic news.  
  
"It would also appear that Mortimer had something to do with it... It's all over the news...he must of been helping this girl all along..."  
  
"Sabertooth?" He asked as he stopped his walking and swiftly turned around. A growl emerged from him letting his know he was indeed there.  
  
"Find the Jackson girl and Mortimer, and get rid of them...I'm sick of these interruptions." And without another word he left the room to make some more arrangements.  
  
Mystique turned and smiled at her alliance. He glared back knowing before disappearing through the back door.  
  
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Colin Jackson hadn't been inside his own home in nearly two years. The familiar smell of his mother's favorite scent of air freshener came back to his senses sending far too memories back to him than he would of cared for.  
  
He shifted unconfortablely on the couch removing the hood of his sweatshirt. The call from his father had been unexpected but even more than that inconvenient. Eva had never hurt a soul, and those freaks had crossed more lines than he could count. He glanced at a picture of his little sister on the wall, she really was growing to be quite lovely. Although he could still remember the day he left home how she had cried and hung onto his leg begging him to stay. It was hard to explain to her then why he had to leave but he had the feeling she was learning now.  
  
His fists clenched in anger as he thought of the possibilities of what was being done to his sister.  
  
He was going to kill that monster...  
  
"Where's mom?" He asked though his raspy voice to the man known as his father drinking scotch in the reclining chair.  
  
"Upstairs asleep. She couldn't handle this Colin..." He stated after awhile. "I know you and I have always had our differences...but your sister is in trouble now. Get her back Colin." He stood up at this comment and continued to look at anything but his son's eyes.  
  
"I don't trust the people in charge of her case."  
  
Case. He thought to himself.  
  
My daughter is a case.  
  
"And I want this thing that took her to be punished. I don't want him going to prison..." He said clearing his point.  
  
"I know what it is you do...please Colin...bring her home." He turned to meet his son's torn face and surprised himself with tears stinging his eyes at the light of the situation. Colin sat up and walked to his father's side.  
  
Robert noticed just at that moment had much his son had changed over the last years. He looked ragged and tired. His eyes were cold and gray reviling no emotion to what he was about to say.  
  
"I'll bring her home." He repeated. He headed for the door with a plan forming in his head as he left.  
  
"Thank you." The voice that gave away that comment of gratitude was husky and sad. Wringing in dreadful possibly Colin didn't say anything in return instead just let him out and drove away into the darkness that had settled into his bones long ago.  
  
"And I'll make him pay." He said to the windshield in front of him.  
  
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Robert threw a blanket around his wife's shaking shoulders. She had practically been crying in her sleep, calling out Eva's name over and over again. Finally he convinced her to leave the silent phone and get some rest, but even the small sleeping pill couldn't help her much.  
  
He slumped downstairs and settled himself into the same chair as before and poured himself another glass of scotch and enjoyed the flavor as it settled in his stomach. He turned off the only lamp that was on and closed his eyes in the darkness, yet still he couldn't escape the horror that his only daughter must of been going through. 


	19. Arriving

Hey everybody once again I thank you for all the great reviews PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING as this story continues. Anyway here's chapter 19 enjoy!  
  
The words on the exit signs began to blend together and Toad had to shake his head to rid himself of the exhaustion that threatened to take over his body. Finally the final turn that began the end of the long journey. He sighed as he parked the car and glanced to the unmoving figure to his left. She had grown paler in the last few hours and as he touched her forehead with the back of his hand he noticed how cold her skin seemed and how a thin line of perspiration had outlined her face. She shivered under his touch.  
  
He knew he had to be there.  
  
There was no where else to go.  
  
Her quietly and soundly pulled her from the car noticing the way her eyes glazed over in question as he approached the tall Victorian building. But before he could knock on the front door it opened easily a tall-looking gruff man he knew he had seen before stood in front of him He seemed annoyed at his presents but just rolled his eyes and stepped aside reviling an older man sitting with his hands crossed in a wheelchair. Toad kept his eyes down, and averted his gaze knowing what the older man was doing he didn't care.  
  
He just kept staring at the unmoving face that was being drained with life every second. Finally after what seemed like forever he looked towards the confused guy still holding the door and asked him with a small smile:  
  
"Logan, would you please take Ms. Johnson to the infirmary?" Toad looked up startled at the voice as it echoed in the staircase above him. Logan went to move but Toad flinched protectively.  
  
"It's all right Mortimer."  
  
The annoyed looking man's footsteps planted itself in his mind as he walked away with Eva in his arms, yet still Toad couldn't manage to take his eyes off the exotic looking floor.  
  
"It would appear that you and Ms. Johnson had quite an ordeal today." He stated simply as he led Toad to his office. But still silent Toad focused on anything but the situation at hand. Several minutes later he sat unmoving in a chair in what looked like a very nice office outlined with exotic plants and oak furniture. Across from his sat the concerned professor unsure as to which question to ask first.  
  
"Can you help her?" Toad asked quietly surprising himself with how hoarse his voice sounded. The professor sighed softly as he replied.  
  
"Well as I'm sure you know she's been infected with a highly dangerous virus. But we've already given her the anti-virus. Hopefully her system will respond to it but the infection has already logged itself to her bloodstream. It'll be a few hours before we know anything."  
  
Toad nodded still avoiding eye contact as he registered the sound of approaching footsteps coming nearby. The door didn't even make a sound as two people entered. He recognized both of them immediately as two people he had once tried to kill.  
"Jean?" Asked the professor. She nodded and he could feel her eyes on the back of his head questioning the older man's ideas. He gave her a patient nod and attempted to loosen the tension.  
  
"She's resting now...we probably won't know anything until tomorrow." Said the redhead smugly.  
  
"Well nevertheless our other guest has some injuries himself." Toad looked up confused at the statement he had forgotten about the bumps and bruises that plagued his body and the muscles that promised to be sore in the morning.  
  
"Jean..."  
  
"Follow me." She interrupted the professors comment. Toad followed her instruction and found himself turning to the floor once again as he noticed the suspicious stare of the weather witch. He found himself reaching for some of the old burns he had attained turning his last meeting with her. He shivered despite the abnormally warm weather.  
  
Still in his office Ororo continued to question the green man's motivates.  
"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean we are now technically abiding a fugitive now." She said throwing her arms in the air.  
  
"I realize the situation is unique...but I have a feeling that Mortimer and Ms. Jackson might need our help more than they realize."  
  
The room was stale with the smell of medical supplies. White walls with white counters, lined with first aid equipment and several cots. Toad sat impatiently on one of those cots desperately trying not to flinch or let the redhead enter his mind.  
  
"Nasty cut you got there." She commented as she finished the last stitch on his forearm.  
  
"I've had worse." He replied annoyed at the obviousness of her statement.  
  
"I can see that." She said looking up at the many scars that lye on his torso. Clearly aggregated with her patient she swiftly threw away the elastic gloves she as wearing and began putting away things. And after several moments of necessary silence a question filled the air.  
  
"Can I see her?" His voice sounding more pleading than he would of liked. He hated the thought of making requests when he was completely outnumbered and they were holding all the cards. The thought that he was showing weakness crossed his mind but he dismissed it just as easily as it had come.  
  
Jean turned to meet his twisted little face and sighed. Putting her hand on her hip she nodded slowly before silently, inciting him to follow her as she left the room.  
  
To Toad it seemed like Eva looked worse than she had before. Now lying in a slightly more confortable looking cot she remained still as he took a seat next to her in a cushions chair near the bed. Small bruises could be seen taking their toll on her face and at that moment he hated the thought that he was the reason for it. Her fair skin was beyond pale and he could of sworn he saw small blue lines sticking out of her hands inching up to her elbows. He buried his face in his hands totally aware that the redhead had left them alone. He swallowed, but even that seemed like an activity not worth participating in.  
  
He sighed and slouched back in the chair still replaying the day's events in his head. He hadn't seen the "Brotherhood" wannabe group in quite some time. He knew Mystique associated with them but he hadn't know their relationship to extend recently. And why were they there in the first place? He tried to ponder the reason but a throb of pain reached his skull and he gritted his teeth as he gripped the side of his head.  
  
"I'm sorry..." He whispered to the unmoving figure still lying next to him. He gulped before taking his shaking hand into hers hating himself because he knew he couldn't have enough guts to do it while she was conscience.  
  
"Please wake up." He whispered although he wasn't the words actually came out because of the pain that erupted when he tried to speak. He brushed a piece of hair from her eyes and felt the damp strand threw his fingers. He choked back a unwanted sob and repeated with all his strength so this time he knew she would hear him:  
  
"Please..."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Everybody's sad!! 


	20. Things we Never say

Don't ask me why I included Scott in this chapter...because I really don't know. But I once again thank everyone for the great reviews, I never realized how many Toad fans there were out there in fanfic land! So I guess I'll humor you all by updating as soon as my muse decides to work with me!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Scott always found it to be calming and relaxing to walk the halls before morning classes. Of course this was a Sunday and there would be no classes but never the less he insisted to himself that he enjoyed the silence while it was still an option. Folding his arms behind him he lazily walked up the stair case in the front hall taking the time to stop and glance out a window every so often. The morning predicted stormy weather, and rain clouds from every distance were beginning to settle around the area. He sighed before continuing his exploration. Looks like it's going to be a dreadful day.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The parking lot was all but quiet until the sound of determined footsteps found their way into the pavement. The sound echoed throughout the underground parking lot and sent slumbering birds flying threw the air.  
  
Colin stopped and examination the area before cornering the small elevator.  
  
"What do you know?" He asked the man standing patiently in the corner. He tossed his cigarette carelessly on the ground stomping it with his faded boot.  
  
"Someone saw a suspicious looking mutant with your sister's description at the department store on abbey He stole a red GMC and headed south."  
  
Colin seemed to register this information by nodding silently. "There isn't much up there besides the city."  
  
"Look man, if this guy hasn't made any demands then it's doubtful he still has your sister-"  
  
"Either way...I want justice." Colin replied to his friend as he turned swiftly.  
  
"There's rumors that theres a school up there you know!" He called after his friend. Colin stopped dead in his tracks and listened.  
  
"It's suppose to be for mutants but everyone says it's a training facility for the runaways."  
  
Colin pondered this a moment before heading back to his own car. He sighed as he though of the silent promise he had made to his estranged father just a few hours prior. He floored it as he left the parking lot, heading South.  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
Robert violently threw the phone across the room. His daughter hadn't even been gone a day and still every new station with the state had beyond called for an interview. Along with the men he knew as business associates.  
  
He shuttered to think that their children were missing as well.  
  
Julie Barbaric in all her grief managed with a police escort to reach his home in attempt to confort his wife along with finding some sort of mutual feeling herself. Even now he could hear the two woman talking to shushed tones upstairs although he did hear a cry or two now and then he knew neither of the women had the strength to take it for much longer.  
  
Attempting to leave his house was without a doubt stupid the second the media got wind of this they parked themselves outside his front door just hoping to get a cut of the grieving parents in their moment of worry and tragedy. Yet despite all the unwanted excitement Robert couldn't help up feel rage boil in his veins most of all. He smashed the phone further with his heel causing a swift pain to enter his foot yet at that point the protest of relief was well beyond his reach and he knew their was no point in trying.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Sarah held the shaking woman in her arms desperate to block out her tears that she found to seem fake and unrealistic. She was almost jealous of Julie for having anymore tears in her, for Sarah couldn't fin anymore in her eyes. Instead a sense of helplessness entered her mind and guilt, rage, and pain flooded her mind.  
  
But still she could no longer cry.  
  
She rolled her head to the side as she saw a picture of Eva not more than a year ago, her hair flowing in the breeze, her smile in readable beyond her beauty. And despite her crooked teeth at the time Sarah smiled. She wasn't a religious woman but this was time where she certainly wish she had something to believe in.  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
Two sleeping forms rested somewhat peacefully as they lyed in exam room 2 in the medical lab. One lye in her cot, another rested his head on her bed but he was quickly jolted awake at the feeling of someone touching his shoulder.  
  
"Didn't mean to startled you." Said Jean. As she quickly removed her hand at his uneasiness. He ignored her however and turned to the sleeping figure in front of him. She was still pale, but her breaths seemed more frequent now, and the faint lines on her limbs were beginning to fade away.  
  
"She a fighter." Said Jean at his unasked question. "Looks like most of the infection left her system but she'll probably still be under the weather for a while yet." A loud crack of thunder hit the property at the end of her statement.  
  
"Speaking of the weather..." She mummer under her breath. Walking away Toad finally turned around to witness her walking away looking at charts of some kind, her glasses on buried in unnecessary work.  
  
Toad stood up despite the protest in his bones and stretched somberly. He frowned as he approached the window. An uneasy feeling entered his stomach... Something was wrong. But before he could explore that thought anymore the sound of a soft groan entered his ears. He immediately turned his attention to the girl in the bed as he patiently waited for her to wake up. Slowly but surely her eyes began to flutter open and he couldn't suppress the feeling of relief that gushed through his.  
  
"Wha-what happened?" She managed with difficulty.  
  
"Nothing to worry about." He lied with a less than convincing grin. She looked like she was about to say more but she closed her eyes again and remained silent. Toad thought she had fallen asleep again but suddenly and without warning her memory of the previous day's events came flooding back to her.  
  
She flew herself out of bed. A sharp pain entered her side forcing her to cry out. She was surprised to see a attractive redheaded woman enter the room with a clear look of concern on her face.  
  
"Wha-whats going on? How did I get here? Where is here?" She turned her head in both direction as if expecting answers to hit her in the face. Sitting down next to her Jean answered all her questions with a calm disappeared.  
  
"You were attacked, you were infected with the abnormal virus, he brought you here, and your in a medical facility in Westchester New York." Jean stopped her explanation to let the information sink in.  
  
"What about my parents?!" She screeched with concern.  
  
"Their fine!" Said Toad. And it seemed like Eva unglazed his presents for the first time in the last several minutes.  
  
"What happened yesterday?" Eva asked quietly towards him. Jean silently removed herself from the room again and the two were left alone.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
What will he say? What will she think?! Keep reading to find out! 


	21. revelations

An explanation was lingering on Toad lips as she patiently waited for him to answer. What could he possibly tell her to make him seem like less of horrible person? Nothing. And he knew that, he straightened up and got up from his chair, and leaning his forehead against the clean window nearby he marveled at how cool it seemed on his skin. No, passed cool.  
  
Cold.  
  
That's what he was. Nothing more than follower of bad people who did bad thing to good people. It was simple. He wasn't part of anything important or special, the brotherhood wasn't going to be something kids learned about in schools containing mutants and humans. He and the others weren't going to be part of some kind of historical event that was going to change the world. He wasn't a hero or a model...  
  
He was a terrorist.  
  
Kidnapping people, killing people, destroying the innocent things in the world just to get some definition of a voice. The Brotherhood wasn't doing anything that any other insane organization couldn't do with the right resources.  
  
He wasn't any better than them...  
  
His mind continued to drift until a distant coughing noise came from the corner of the room. He frowned deeply at how Eva struggled to catch her breath and he made his way back to her side of the room.  
  
"I'll explain everything later luv...I promise."  
  
She wasn't exactly satisfied with this answer but a deep exhaustion had settled itself in her joints and the longing of rest entered her mind. She adjusted herself steadily back into the bed and observed her surrounding with a certain uneasiness. Eva closed her eyes gently finding them hard to open again, but as sleep took over she heard the specific sound of a chair pulling up and the feeling of webbed fingers joining hers.  
  
She smiled in spite of herself.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The rain had long since stopped but the grounds were still wet and a certain lazy atmosphere had come in with the afternoon fog. The students were bored as usual but most found themselves watching t.v or reading, and with the staff in similar positions the property appeared to be quiet and steady. Everyone was so obviously in fact, that only one student, no older than ten noticed the black SUV passing the back roads several times before parking several feet away from the property line. Only three people got out of the large car, each seeming to be secretive and quiet as they disappeared into some hedges close by and remained still talking amongst themselves...  
  
VXVXVX  
  
When Eva opened her eyes again she could tell that a large amount of time had passed since she had closed them last. She blinked several times before attempting to sit up, the pain she had found in her sides earlier had nearly left. Yet she still could not rid herself of the dizziness that caused her to reach for her head in confusion. But the previous day's events came back to her: each picture and sound connecting together like they belonged with one another and the direct memory was clear and defiant causing her headache to surface once more.  
  
"Hello." Said a steady voice at the doorway. Although her vision seemed to be abandoning her as everything else her sight was still nearly backed out and blurry.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Asked the same voice as it moved closer to her. Blinking several for several moments made the appearance of her visitor a little easier yet everything still appeared a little out of shape. Yet still from what she could tell the woman now sitting next to her had a lovely colored, dark shaded skin, which contracted perfectly with her long white hair that clung happily to her shoulders. Her smile was honest and a sincere feeling of safety quickly entered the room.  
  
"Weird." She replied with nothing else to say. Eva still had her hands on her head and held them there as though they were they sole source of keeping her neck straight.  
  
"I would image so." Said the woman who now seemed taller as she approached. She laid a small green tray on the table nearby and it wasn't until then Eva noticed the lacking presents of someone in the room.  
  
"Um... Where's ...um?"  
  
Her smile stayed patient as she responded. "I believe your friend is downstairs talking with the professor."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Oh how silly of me." She said before continuing, "The professor is the benefactor of this institute he tends to take care of situation like this."  
  
"What exactly is this institute?" Eva asked suddenly feeling nervous.  
  
Her new friend stared at her confused with the question then a look of realization came to her face and she sat down in the previously occupied chair.  
  
"This is a school for mutant. Mostly we try to give an average education to the kids here, help out some of the runaways that kind of thing. But a lot of young mutants have a hard time controlling their abilities so we try and assist in help them keep themselves and others safe."  
  
Information sunk deeply into Eva's brain as she thought of those words. Of course she had heard of this place...but it actually existed? Horror stories had of course been passed around her school about mutant training facilities where they taught mutants how to hurt humans and use them to their advantage...but this place was real? But no wait... not exactly. It was a school, it had to be just that right? I mean she was human and they had helped her out and everything, they had to be honest...right?  
  
"So you work here then?" Eva asked.  
  
"I teach mostly science and sometimes cover for the lit teacher. My name is Ororo." She extended her hand and Eva was surprised to find how cold her's was compared to it. And a shiver ran up her spine at the realization. She retracted her fingers from her new found firends and folded her arms across her chest and sighed deeply, but sensing her Ororo's concern she forced a fake smile and later explained that she was just tired but as the minutes dragged on she was more and more sure that something was seriously wrong. 


	22. Invasion

Hey guys thank for the reviews, (I've never been so happy about threats before) But anyway I'd just thought I share with you guys that I do go back to school this week so don't be surprised if my updates are a little less frequent than usual.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The doorknob made his fingers feel solid and steadied his trembling fingers. Toad attempted to ward off the dizziness that echoed around him, but he couldn't deny the inconvenience that came with that. He sighed deeply before entering the familiar office and stepping into the oak doorway.  
  
"Hello again." Said Xaiver as he gestured to a seat, not taking his eyes off the newspaper in front of him. Toad hesitated before taking the seat only now noticing the tense muscles at the back of his knees. The old man looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"I'm glad to hear Ms. Jackson is feeling better." Toad nodded slowly and sniffed but still continued to keep his eyes on the floor. Somehow words didn't quite seem necessary. Silence touched the walls and dragged itself on the teal carpet. The professor turned on a small television that sat in the corner of the ceiling. Toad glanced at it in annoyance but couldn't push his ears away from the words that came from the lady newscaster's mouth:  
  
"...Eva Johnson's condition is unknown at this point, but police officials from all over the state have been looking for her for several hours since early yesterday afternoon when she was strangely kidnapped from her front yard while waiting for a friend to arrive... Rumors that the FBI have become involved are circulating but it is unsure as to what precautions the authorizes are taking to catch the mutants involved..."  
  
The television was soon shut off after that statement and as Toad looked up he suddenly noticed that the older man had lost the shine that almost always seemed to be in his eyes.  
  
"They'll be looking for you Mortimer...I can tell that you wish to protect her but this situation is becoming harder and harder to control. It might be best to just find-" The professor stopped talking suddenly and Toad observed a identifiable look of worry cross his face.  
  
"...Someone's here." Was all he said. A feeling of dark deeds about to happen entered Toad's head as he saw what the professor saw. His eyes widened in horror as he quickly retracted himself from his seat and took the steps two at a time to the medical lab that he had just left, he could hear the old man behind him calling the names of his precious x-men and giving out orders.  
When he opened the exam room he found Eva already up and pacing the room impatiently as if extremely annoyed that she was alone.  
  
"What in the hell is going on?" She asked at his arrival. "That one woman just left practically running down the stairs and everyone is running to their rooms and locking doors and windows..."  
  
"We have to get out of here." He said hoarsely before examining the scene beyond the windows.  
  
"Wait a minute I don't understand, explain this to me!" She said the panic becoming clear in her voice. He didn't respond instead just grabbed his jacket and took her hand.  
  
"I have to get you out of here." He said with such a stern tone that she didn't question him again. Instead she let him lead her down the halls and past the dorms and through the main staircase. She struggled to keep up with his longer legs and soon found herself running out of breath and her legs soon became unstable beneath her.  
  
"Wait!" She stated to him but her complaint was interrupted by the sound of a distance pounding on the main entrance doors that Eva hadn't really noticed before. They stopped several feet in front of the door and each stared at it in silence before the pounding became louder, and before either of them could look for another exit the sound of glass shattering entered their sight. Eva found herself yelp at the sight of the plate glass windows shattering above them but what surprised her more was Toad's eagerness to cover her with himself and push to towards the back of the room where which he left her there. He didn't say anything before he left just covered his head to avoid the deadly glass that was now covering the entire scene and leaving nothing in it's mercy.  
  
He knew he didn't have much time before they entered so with hesitation he had thrown Eva to the side in hope's that she would stay their and be quiet about it. But no sooner did he enter the main hall did he hear the sound of the entrance being broken down and the distinct sound of yelling from an unfamiliar voice.  
  
"We just want the girl!" Screamed one voice another followed repeating himself. The two other's that were with him seemed to agree and stood behind him in guard looking out for their friend. They were greeted by silence and Toad found no reason to change that, instead he stood clinging to one of the rafters above them trying to hold himself from sneering at the broken glass that was making its way into the palm of his hand.  
  
Eva stood up at the demands the unseen intruders were making. That voice sounded fimilar...but no it couldn't possibly be the voice that she would secretly talk to on the phone on holidays? But then again were they talking about her? Well of course they were, it was a school for mutants after all and she guessed by now people were probably worried and looking for her...but Colin?  
  
"Colin?" She asked coming out of the shadows. The response was nothing but unusual of her brother as he opened a grin and put down the gun she now noticed he had. He walked towards her and placed a firm grasp around her forearm. Expecting her to follow he was surprised to feel her wrestle her way from his grip and stop him in his tracks.  
  
"What in the hell are you doing here?" She yelled. He appeared confused at the statement but answered her anyway.  
  
"Here to take you home what in the hell do you think? Come on Eva we have to get out of here those freaks could attack at any second..."  
  
"You mean defend themselves?!" She protested gesturing toward the floor now glittering with broken glass.  
  
"We don't have time for this come on!" He said grabbing her arm. But this time she had more difficulty getting out of his grasp.  
  
"Let go of me Colin! You have no right to be here, besides I'm fine I don't need you coming in here destroying building and ruining people's homes. Just get out!"  
  
"I agree." Said Toad before he shot out his tongue that knocked out the gun from Colin's hand and did a back flip landing perfectly behind Eva. Slightly shocked at the sight Colin was forced to let his sister go.  
  
Eva crossed her arms defensively and pushed herself away from the grim of hate she saw growing in her brother's eyes.  
  
"You get away from my sister, freak!" He stated with an unsaid threat as he snapped his fingers and had his friend's weapons pointed directly at him.  
  
"This is enough!" Stated Eva with a furor that neither man knew she possessed. She stepped in front of Toad only inches away from his chest, Toad marveled at that after everything she had been through her hair was still shiny and smelling of melon. Yet he didn't get time to savor that moment before Eva spoke again.  
  
"Look Colin I appreciate your concern for me and I realize what it must of taken for you to come here and everything but quick being so god damned closed minded and assuming things about people!" The look of vengeance entered her face as she turned to face Toad.  
  
"And honestly I have no idea what's been going on here but all I do know is that I'm tiered and I want to go home...OK? That's all. No one here is going to get hurt or killed! Just be mature about this and don't resort to violence. Colin? You came to take me home, so take me home!" And with that she threw her hands up in the air and headed for the broken door not realizing the creatures that lay beyond them.  
  
And the second she stepped outside was when Toad remembered that her brother wasn't the only thing the professor was worried about... 


	23. Problems arise

Hey everybody I didn't realize the amount of spelling and grammatical errors that were in this original chapter so I give you my gravest apologies and hope this chapter is improved. Enjoy!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
A shot of red flickered out of the corner of his eye and he immediate felt his stomach muscles tense as he heard the short but plentifully scream of Eva. The sound of a car backfiring followed shortly after. And at the sound both men ignored each other's presents and proceeded to the source of the noise.  
The driveway was silent and no moving cars were present and only one screeched before them pulling dramatically from the lot, shutting off their headlights and knocking over yard statues in their way. A sudden and comprising fear ran threw Toad as his eyes began scanning the area for Eva...yet no movement came to his view. The guy Eva had called Colin quickly recognized the lacking of her presents too for he didn't hesitate to retract his gun and grab Toad by the collar holding him firmly to a oak tree: a gun pressed firmly to the side of his face.  
  
"You tell me where she is now!" He yelled, his voice echoing through the empty yard and hollow parking lot. After occupying the title he had held for so long Toad could always sense a killer, maybe it was something about their movements, their voice, or the lack of caring in their eyes...it was always visible and Toad could see it clearly in the way his finger held the angle of the gun so perfectly and threatening.  
  
"I don't freaken know!" He yelled right back immediately deciding that that probably wasn't the best plan of action. And he found his theories correct as he was awarded with a firm punch to the side of his face. Normally Toad simply would of kicked him in the sensitive spot at the back of the knee, gabbed him by the back of his neck and snapped his spine in half before he would of even had time to register what was happening...but for some reason it didn't seem justified. Like it wasn't worth the consequences  
  
Consequences...now there was a new concept.  
  
"Hey boss! Take a look at this!" Shouted his friend from the distance. Colin didn't take his eyes from Toad for a second as he backup into the same areas where his shouting friend was. And when arrived he was handed a small piece of paper, with ink sinking threw the thin material. Toad got up at the look of horror that flooded his face, but before he could have time to react Colin came back to him with even more rage.  
  
"This is your fault!" He seemed to hesitate before continuing as though he was afraid someone was listening to their conversation. The piece of paper fell to his knees and he picked it up pushing it closer to his eyes, now desperately wishing he had thought to bring his goggles with him.  
  
Frog-  
  
Toulon Square 6pm Come alone or she dies.  
  
The threat was almost amusing if it wasn't so premature and unnecessary. Yet the unreeling fact was that they were perfectly capable of killing her... He shook his violently.  
  
"It's you they want isn't it!?" Colin shouted into the night, not letting him answer. "I don't know who took Eva but your going to get her back! If I find anything suspicious in any way I will come after you and make sure you suffer the most painful death imaginable..."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Detective Warren approached the silent house with caution. He knew as well as everyone else that the news he was about to deliver was not good, but then again as he stopped to think it's not exactly bad either. He knew that neutral news was almost as alarming to parents as bad news. But glancing at his watch he realized that the hour required an update. He stopped walking and stood near the main step before the patio, he sighed deeply just grateful that the newscaster's vans had left to catch the evening news and that they weren't here now to witness this unpleasant action.  
  
He raised his hand to knock on the oak door that now stood in front of him, but his action was interrupted by the door being opened on the other side.  
  
"Any word?" Asked the disheveled father in front of him. The detective made the gesture of scratching his nose but nodded a firm no. He wasn't sure but he swore he saw the man in front of him grow at least a year older. He stood back to let the Detective in and watched as the man made his way through his home and to his kitchen table.  
  
Robert shuffled his hands through his quickly graying hair and folded his hands into each other looking at his fingers intensely.  
  
"I realize everyone in your department is giving their best efforts...but I have to say I'm getting just slightly impatient at the thought of my daughter being held hostage by a mutant you can't find!" He lashed out on the chair and pushed it across the room violently not caring about the scratch marks it would leave behind.  
  
"Mr. Jackson we have officers all over the state, our men taking guard at toll booths, train stations, airports, and bus stations...  
  
"Well that's obviously not helping now it is?! My daughter is out there in only God knows what kind of danger, and you people are just sitting around waiting for this guy to show up with her?"  
  
"Sir, we will find your daughter and the people that took her. I realize your upset but your emotion isn't productive so maybe you should just calm down..."  
  
"Calm down?" Robert imitated. "You have got to be joking! My daughter has been missing for well over 24 hours! I know the statists detective Warren and according to the odds she's already..." His words were cut off by the sound of a frustrated sob. He leaned over the sink and took his hands to the cold tile that lye next to it. He felt the detective get up and move to his side, the sympathy he felt for the older man was evident yet he did not try to attempt an apology or explanation he just repeated a phrase Robert had heard the previous evening.  
  
"I will bring her back..."  
  
And after that the room remained silent. The Detective stayed just a moment longer before reminding the older man he would keep in touch at the first signs of any new developments and then he let himself out of the home, and on his way back to his car he sighed and paused. Knowing very well the same statists that Robert Jackson did. 


	24. Escape and torture

(Begins laughing wildly to herself) Wow! You guys are seriously going to hate me after this chapter...hahaha...seriously...  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"Colin knock it off!" Screamed his companion as he pushed his knuckles off Toad's face. "We won't be able to get any decent information if he's unconscience!" The statement was a simple one yet it took time from Colin as he held down the green mutant in the back of his SUV. His lifelong friend drove quickly down the road into the downtown building listed as the address, Colin of course had decided to do some damage to his sister's kidnapper as he had promised his father.  
  
She didn't mean what she said in there. He decided to himself. This freak of nature has to have some kind of mind control powers or something. Yeah that's all! He decided. That's what it had to be! He tricked her! And of course the new theory made him so mad he couldn't help but send another punch to the freak in his back-seat. Unfortunately his friend's advice finally came into play because Toad's eye's rolled into the back of his head before he lost conscience all together  
  
Toad still thought it was weird how he hadn't bothered to defend himself as they threw him into the back of the vehicle. But oddly enough the only thing he could think of was how mad Eva would be at him for kicking the crap out of her brother, which after the first half-a-dozen punches he wanted to do. But naturally that whole concept of a concision set in and he totally lost any realm of thought.  
  
The smell of the nearby shore filled the air and smothered everything in it's path. Seagulls could be seen in the distance, some still stupid enough to stick around despite the weather. And they were interrupted in their daily hunt for food by an approaching car. By the time they pulled up to the abandoned building it was starting to get dark, and the sunset would have been beautiful if it hadn't been for the surly figure getting out of the car, his bloody hands in his pockets desperately trying to keep them from shaking. A sharp memory of what Eva's brother had told him just seconds before echoed though his brain:  
  
"Your little friends said they wanted you alone. So you go in there alone, they let Eva go. Simple as that freak...if you do anything to mess this up we'll go in there and slotter you all...if your pathetic brain can't understand that than you people are stupider than I thought..." Being Toad, he shrugged pretending not to care and he even continued to keep his mouth shut, but only to the point where the door opened and he was thrown out of the car, he opened his lips slightly to spit a mouthful of forced blood from his gums at the person responsible for it. He almost smiled at the glare of hate Colin held as his friends had to keep him out of sight and keep him from reaching for his gun. It was funny in that sort of odd way.  
  
Toad approached the unpleasant sight of a building with a slithery sort of caution. He knew there wasn't a lot of time for plan making, and he seemed distracted by the fact that Eva was inside that building. Just a door away...so close but so far.  
And he felt his spine retract as the large door around the corner opened. There was no one behind it he could tell immediately. But he still hesitated to enter the building, so quiet that the sounds of scurrying rats ran as the source of entertainment. But he could sense a presents nearby. He confirmed this theory as a sharp pain entered the side of his head forcing him to his knees. But before he could retreat the pain hit him again and the ceiling lights flashed on above him. He could hear the faint sound of laughter in the background before he passed out once more.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"He's been in there a while dude..." Said the man in the passenger seat as he looked around at the clock on the radio.  
"Yeah." Said his friend turning to face Colin in the back-seat, "We shouldn't wait much longer..."  
  
"I know." Said Colin sternly cutting his partner off. He glanced at his watch impatiently. "Ted? You sure this place only has one exit and entrance?"  
  
"Yeah man, and it doesn't really look like anything's going on in there."  
  
"OK give it another minute before we intervene..."  
  
VXVXVXVXV  
  
The faint sound of chains sounded though his mind, echoing on the empty shell of his brain. He could feel his body moving and the blood rushing from his hands and down to his feet, but his mind refused to work with an explanation. He wanted to open his eyes at all the familiar smells but something warm trickled in his vision and he found himself growing weak. But that was only until a bucket of freezing cold water thrashed on him, sending him into fits of shivers and coughs.  
  
"Time to wake up my little pond scum." Giggled a happy voice no more than a few feet away from his.  
  
With the blood some what out of his eyes he managed to open them slightly finding that his left eye was nearly swollen shut already from his previous meeting with Eva's brother. He failed to recognized the fuzzy shape in front of him at first but then as the seconds ticked by Tabthia stood filing her nails acting completely unemotional  
  
"Glad you decided to join us!" She squealed with sarcasm. Toad could make out other figures near the back of the room but couldn't quite make out their faces. He remained silent as Tabathia moved herself closer to him smiling as she did so. Only then did he notice the small hooks of the ceiling, the chains hanging from them, and the fact that both his hands were each attached to one. Looking back down he realized his jacket had been taken off. His stomach twisted into every shape imaginable, he knew what was about to happen. He had seen it too many times before, often been a part of it. But now that he was hanging there the concept didn't seen too desirable.  
  
"What do you want?" He spat out bitterly. She seemed surprised by his rapid question and found it beyond amusing, but to entertain herself further she began to twirl the base of each chain that had him by the wrists.  
  
"What do I want?" She repeated. "Well! I must admit nobody's ever asked me that before. But if you must know... I've always desired a house on the beach, a pink corvette, my very own amusement park-"  
  
"Enough!" Growled an impatient voice in the corner. Toad didn't pretend like he didn't know who it was. And as Sabertooth approached him and Tabitha pouted away... he knew he was in for it.  
  
The first punch wasn't so bad, he decided later on, it was mostly the second and third ones to the kidneys that made him feel as though he was going to vomit. And if he didn't know any better Toad would of said he already had, but he was mistaken as Sabertooth threw one more fist his way before effortlessly walking away. Toad winced at the pain that erupted in his sides, and to his discomfort he found that clenching his teeth didn't help since he could already feel one loose on it's hinges in the back of his mouth.  
  
"Now, now everyone I don't think we're being very nice to our guest!"  
  
It didn't matter that the concrete walls made the room unbearably hot... Toad still felt a shiver run threw him at the sound of that voice. It was unknown to him but as he saw the short man, no taller than himself approach he had to blink twice because once the man took off his sunglasses Toad instantly recognized two (very memorable) red eyes.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The gag kept her from calling out, but she still attempted to scream as she was stuffed into a closet and bound by her hands and feet. She almost lost her nerve for a while, especially after that cat guy said there were a lot "worse" things he could do to her. And then he left with the others but not before he had given her something similar to a smirk as he looked her body up and down. Needless to say it scared the hell out of her, but when she heard a new voice enter the room next door she couldn't help but try and do something.  
  
Eva continued to struggle from her bonds as she heard the distant sound of metal being strung up and then sometime later the faint sound of a rebellious British accent that gave her a sense of hope she couldn't of put into words. But then her sense of hope was shattered only to be replaced with a fear unlike anything she had ever experienced, it was followed soon after by a pain in her chest she couldn't really describe. After nearly snapping her own wrist she found herself free from the shards of metal wire that they used to tie her hands. She remembered the blonde girl suggesting it would hold her down better.  
Once out of the same situation on her ankles and torso she finally rid herself of the damp rag they had put in her mouth she flinched realizing that it smelled of oil and dust. Afterward she stood there in the dark closet for a moment unsure of what to do. After all she had no idea where she was or what the hell was going on, but as an earth shattering scream entered her ears she found herself lacking hesitation to open the door that strangely enough had been left unlocked.  
  
The door cracked slightly and she briefly wondered if anyone had heard it but several seconds passed and no movement came her way so she proceeded. The broken door knob was sticky and she hated the thought of what once had been there. Eva clung to the walls of the hallway, her hands gripping every surface possible as though the corners and edges were keeping her from falling off of the earth. She turned her head in the direction of the noise: people placed themselves in front of her, with their backs turned, some people were sitting or making themselves comfortable as a group as though they were watching a show. She marveled at just what an interesting looking audience they all were. Suddenly she could hear talking from across the room but she lacked the strength to make out the words.  
  
And she waited there for several minutes until a shadowed laugher made her up jump. Everyone around joined in the humor and therefore didn't notice her position. But mear moments after that laugh, another unbearable scream entered her ears and she bit her lip knowing exactly who it belonged to. One of the larger men standing, shifted his position slightly as though he knew she lacked a view and gave her a glimpse of one of the most horrid sights her eyes had ever witnessed: a fire poker scolded Toad as he fruitlessly kicked his legs about head holding itself in the air, and him screaming to the sky something she couldn't make out. The fire burned a mark into his flesh and once the weapon was pulled away a blood-like fluid poured from the wound. The rest of his bruises were proud and black as coal, his whisper was barely audible but somehow he still managed a weak state of conscienceless. Eva quickly looked away at the first glance and covered her mouth to hide the gasp that omitted itself from her. Now forgetting about the safety of sticking to the walls she sunk to the dingy floor shutting her ears as she heard another shout of laughter and then another howl into the quickly growing night.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Wow...do guys hate me now or what!? Please note that I will explain why this is happening to Toad in the next chapter, I just didn't want to clutter this one up too much. Don't get me wrong writing this chapter broke my heart and everything but you still have to review...go on...I got my own fire poker you know... 


	25. motivation explained

Sorry about the delay on this chapter everybody but please know that I your patience and I hope it continues...along with positive reviews. Enjoy!  
  
Guin: Just to answer your question, no Eva didn't become a mutant. I was just trying to express how nervous and timid she felt.  
  
Victoria: Although I appreciate your threats they are a bit confusing. Are they positive or negative or what?!  
  
Lady-Snape7: Sorry if the kidnapping scene wasn't very clear for you, and the whole idea was to exaggerate on the stereotypes of mutants.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Before the pain had sunk in and his nerves had become numb Toad could faintly remember the conversation that had taken place just moments before:  
  
"I'm so sorry that after all these times we've run into each other we've never actually had the opportunity to meet." Said the stranger with the red eyes. Toad remained motionless and simply didn't even allow his brain to register what was going on, so instead he willing allowed the chains to take away his weight making hanging closer to the ground.  
  
"I agree." Said Tabatha stepping up once more. "Alloy me to introduce you to the Clown." She said with the slight hazel twinkling in her eye. The man seemed amused by her introduction. "Don't worry Toad I already know who you are."  
  
He sighed and continued to smile, his fangs sticking from his lower jaw making his entire face seem swollen and disfigured. From what he could see the name Clown seemed agreeable: bushes of red hair styled into an afro shaded his pale face, and he wore an almost whimsical suit that included everything from a bright red jacket and pants to the blue and yellow pin tie  
  
"I'll admit it's not the most attractable name in the world, but it's stuck with me over the years...besides it's not like it's any better than yours right?" His laughter seemed to be the only one filling the room, but it was brief and ended quickly.  
All the while Toad remained silent never looking up for fear emotion would take over his expression and his mouth would fail him once more. The man who called himself the Clown cocked his head to one side appearing to be extremely confused by this defense and walked even closer to his hanging form. Toad felt like throwing up when he could see a smile forming at the corner of this guy's lips, so deranged and timely.  
  
"What's the matter Toad? Don't feel like talking today?" His legs seemed to hop up at that statement and he seemed rather entertained by the face that Toad was not indeed responding.  
  
"I asked you a question." He stated sternly pulling on the chains above his head as Tabatha had done earlier. His frustration was evident but for whatever reason it passed quickly and he just straightened out his collar ignoring his own outburst and returning to his own twisted deeds.  
  
"Do you know what my abilities are as a mutant?" He asked playfully. Again he was answered with silence but it didn't really matter because he soon answered his own question. And coming at an uncanny closeness to Toad ear he whispered in it:  
  
"I can read minds..." He stepping back in the same fashion of a hop as earlier and once again toiled with the sunglasses in his hands and he began walking around Toad shadow that lye unmoving in the middle of the room.  
  
"But it's more than that! You see my friend, I have the unique power to not only read and absorb the information of people's minds...but I can also hear," He stopped for a dramatic effect and patted his heart, "what's in here."  
  
In a very oddly manner he strode over to Toad who was now beginning to feel the strain of keeping his head down in his shoulders.  
  
"You see your friend's at the brotherhood sort of employed me temporarily to keep an eye on you. They knew from the moment you helped that lovely young lady that night that you were going to be trouble. According to your enchanting blue coworker it was... 'A test of loyalty?" Out of the shadows came Mystique smiling as though she was overjoyed being mentioned.  
  
"So we acquired Clown's assistance for a little longer, we all hard our jobs to do...besides no one wanted Eric involved." She stepped closer to Toad as the Clown had done before and forced his eyes to hers but grabbing a firm hold of his chin and pushing it forward.  
  
"We didn't have a choice...and we don't have one now." She retreated to the shadows and during her entire walk back her eyes revealed no remorse for the deceitful deed just done.  
  
Toad's blood was boiling in his veins by then. It was all he could do to keep his chest from heaving with his anger, They were willing to destroy a person's life just to test some deranged definition of loyalty?! He had to will his hands to keep from clenching together. But they have better hoped that they killed him, because the second he was down from there he was willing and more than ready to attack.  
  
"I'm just grateful those youngsters decided to help us! After that whole insistent at city hall...well lets just say I was feeling rather violent against them. Luckily for them Mystique assured me they were more than well qualified to assist us!"  
  
"Tell us something we don't know..." Demanded the annoyed Sabertooth from the corner. Clown seemed annoyed with this as though he didn't even know the man was in the room but he once again changed his surly demeanor to cheerful and lit his face to an overly valor smile that stretched out his eye sockets and allowed veils to be shown. Normally the scene would of forced Toad to flinch but his brain was too overwhelmed with information to really understand the sight of the mutant that stood before him.  
  
"Very well." Was his only reply. He stared at Toad with an interested smirk on his face. He raised an eyebrow curiously before clapping his hands together joyously which startled Toad considerably and forced him to lift the head he could no longer hold down.  
  
"How annoying." He said suddenly after the silence had passed. He walked to the small bin of concrete that held burning flames Toad hadn't noticed before and took out a lengthy metal object. Examining the poker diligently he sighed before sticky the stick into the flesh of Toad's back, and suddenly screaming filled the room forcing everyone around to pay attention to the sight and look in observation and interest. Once the yelps had ceased the clown spoke once more,  
  
"He's in love with a human."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Something approached Toad's eye from the corner of the room. He could feel the base of the nerve dying and the wound was slowly becoming numb. But as dizziness set in he could of sworn he witnessed something bright in the doorway of the dingy space. He turned his head way to hide the look of hope and possibility on his face. Sure enough as the second poker made it's way into his chest he saw the blond hair again. Any other time he could of smiled but he knew doing so would damage her efforts...whatever they were.  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
The party didn't seemed surprised by this statement, just annoyed and disgusted as though each one of them had stepped in something unpleasant. Clown waited until Toad's subconscience screaming had ceased before he continued his questioning.  
  
"Do you know the real reason we brought you down here Toad?" Not giving him time to answer he continued. "Well you see, it's mostly because of the fact that you've abandoned your own kind! Mutants like you who are too slow to realize the potential of their gifts so they go around whining and wishing they human, trying to change their appearances...so on and so forth!" He once again paused to inhale enjoy the oxygen that his lungs needed and continued on.  
  
"Do you know what makes a mutant a "freak"? It's shame. Pure and simple shame that forces mutants like you to go into hiding and make the rest of us look bad! It's disgusting Toad! And upon anonymous vote...we've decided you should be the example for what happens to those who feel ashamed-" His voice trained off but his words remained as he worked his way across the room and pushed his way through the small crowd of people.  
  
"Ms. Jackson! Do come out and join us will you?!" He called down the empty hallway that still had echoing footsteps. Upon sending a physic message Sabertooth complied and grabbed the girl before she had any real chance for escape.  
  
"Good! Well hello there young lady!" He said slowly and loudly with amusement in his voice at the girl's wiggling and struggling. He nodded to her captor before the three of them once again set out to meet Toad.  
  
Toad could hear her feet being intentionally dragged across the cold floor, he could hear her struggling for breath as the overly large cat gripped her collar bones, and before he knew what he was doing his brain responded.  
  
"Leave her alone!" He shouted with a slight squeak, annoyed with himself that his voice couldn't sound more intimating and manly. The clown's smile faded, but the laugher never left his voice.  
  
"You know...if we didn't have company approaching, I might not follow through with your request...but unfortunately!" He paused and sighed turning to the group behind him. He sighed deeply as though he was expecting them to have already left.  
  
"Well, you have work to do." 


	26. Dead Love

The three figures approached the building with silence and paranoia. The first two of three found themselves on each side of the only door using sign language to communicate their next move. The third figure however stood proud in the darkness, holding his shoulders high and forcing himself to be observant of any sudden movements. He waited for the signal that he his mind had longed to register for. When he finally saw it he had a hard time function what was left of his bravery. He sighed into the deep darkness that descended in his essence before continuing. He knew the next task wasn't going to be an easy one, but some undefined sense of duty drove him to keep going.  
  
His sister needed him.  
  
After they entered the building they obtained an eerie sense of quiet that sheltered every sense of observation. The three latest intruders glanced at each other in question, each nodding before raising their weapons in agreement. But as Colin and his comrades began to explore their surrounding, they each noticed a faint light coming from a closed door in the distance. It lingered on under the actual crack of the door, almost calling the three men forward. And as they grew closer to it, it cultivated in capacity and the brightness expanded...  
  
The only real thing Colin remembered was the intense sound of Ted shouting something in the distance, but by then the searing pain was beginning to dominate the exposed flesh of his face and hands. The torment racked through his head. He threw himself to the ground not knowing where the sound of screaming was coming from until the sensation of his two comrades putting out the fire that lashed his skin came alive.  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"Absolutely not!" Shouted Ted as he and Brian carried the smoldering Colin from the building that was already half way to it's goal of completely collapsing.  
  
"This whole thing was a completely ridiculous idea! I'm calling the damn cops!" He said to the fearful Brian who shook with every word.  
  
"But what about his sister? There is still a human in there Ted!"  
  
"We never actually saw her! This whole thing was just a wild goose chase...they probably dumped her body off long ago..." His voice trailed off slightly at that point but even though both men eluded the subject further they continued to carry their unconscious friend further until they ultimately decided they were free from any immediate danger.  
  
VXVXVXVXVX  
  
Several pieces of dry wall began falling from the ceiling tile above the large gathering of mutants and the single human among them. Slowly at first the flakes fell to the ground, but then as the seconds began passing the flakes turned to massive chunks of cement and brick. The ground shook and the party began to realize that this time it wasn't Lance's fault.  
  
"Well this is just freaken brilliant!" Shouted Wanda over the echo of destruction. "I'm out of here!" She announced, and quickly following in premature steps was the rest of her comrades.  
  
"What did you do?" Bellowed Clown down at Tabitha as she entered the room, her eyes wide and her face confused. Her mouth began moving yet she lacked the proper words to accompany the action.  
  
"You should of known not to of caused any explosions in a place with type of foundation!" Hollered Sabertooth. He carelessly tossed Eva to the ground almost throwing her to the point where the side of her head met the harder part of the rigid floor. He continued to advance on the female mutant; oblivious to the couple in the corner.  
  
"Eva!" Called Toad to her unmoving figure. Fear rushed threw him at the sight of her stillness. Maybe after being deprived of air for so long... then a head wound would- No! She couldn't be gone!  
  
"Eva! Eva!" He shouted again as he began to tug wildly on the chains that bounded him. Slowly with each tug he could feel the hooks give way. He screeched in pain at the feeling of falling to the ground but something willed him to force the sensation away. After being hung up for so long he wasn't really surprised to discover he couldn't walk properly. He staggered and stumbled to Eva, desperate to no longer feel the pain inching up from his ribs to the inner workings of his skull. Within seconds however his legs decided they wanted nothing to do with him as they gave out and forced him to the floor.  
  
She could smell the dust of the concrete surface as she fell. Although she did hit her head, she only remained still because of the solid fear that the mutant would come back and finish her off. She struggled for every breath that entered her lungs, but after several moments the oxygen began to come easier and before she knew it the pounding in her heart had caught up with every exhale.  
  
"Toad?" She whispered. She looked around to her side at the increasing small cluster of mutants: some still arguing, others fleeing the building as the destruction continued. She inched her way to his side, Despite her control she still lacked the will to stop the tears that threatened to fall.  
  
"Oh god...look what they've done to you." She whispered with a slight stutter tracing her unsteady fingers over the disfiguring wounds that appeared to grow more irritated with the second.  
  
"Are you OK?" He asked his voice unmoving and convincing. His hand reached up to caress the side of her dirt ridden face.  
  
She cracked a painful smile and closed her eyes. "I'm fine you selfless jerk..."  
  
Toad looked around to her side, no one else remained. The last of the group had found their way through the back door. Nearby no more than two feet away from where they lay a piece of steel from a beam above them fell sending nails and dust to the ground with it.  
  
"We have to get out of here." Eva nodded in agreement, she quickly helped Toad up by the broad muscles of his shoulders. And using her for support he allowed her to carry some of his body weight as they both hobbled for an exit.  
  
When they reached the first doorway Eva let out a screech. Once more a few beams fell from the fixtures along with the lighting above, forcing electrical wires to meet their deaths as they sparked out and faded away right in front of them.  
  
"There has to be a door somewhere in the back!" Shouted Toad as he pointed them in the opposite direction. Eva just allowed him to lead her through the quickly growing rubble. As they walked on through the warehouse she managed to behold something similar to windows. And relief poured though her as she caught a glimpse of blue and red light caught the corner of her eye. She smiled gratefully but a certain feeling of doom still held her heart as she and Toad reached their destination...  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
"It's about damn time!" Shouted Ted with glee as he stood up from his spot behind the Suv they had arrived in and began waving his hand frantically at the approaching emergency vehicles. Brian joined him in this action. Both men looked down at their fallen friend nearby. His injuries were bad, but more than likely not fatal. At least that's what they had hoped. For several minutes now they had watched from the distance at the building in front of them plummeting downward. But more than it seemed like the earth was ready to open up and swallow the land surrounding it.  
  
Something unseen and unsaid echoed through Toad's brain. Somewhere behind his concussion and nearly fatal wounds, his senses allowed his head to look up. They were so close to the door now that Eva could of sworn the late evening breeze was finding a way through the steel door. Toad however wasn't so confident. Suddenly his movements were far too slow, Eva glanced over at him knowing his health was beyond poor condition but she kept her mouth shut and focused her energy on keeping up with the panicked steps of her companion.  
The sounds of creaking followed them as they reached the door. Toad removed his arm from the grasp around Eva's shoulders and limped to the handle of the door. He could smell the rust that lingered on the hinges. Yet despite the rancid odor he managed to open it enough to fit at least one body outside to the empty woods behind it. He surprised himself at his remaining strength, he hadn't realized he had that left in him.  
  
But suddenly a nearby scent left his mind. He turned around sharply despite the blurred vision that accompanied this action. Eva for some reason had wondered off, instead of standing directly next to him as she had been doing just moments before she stood unmoving several yards away. Above her the stairwell creaked and caved. The steal beams and metal shards hung loosely above her, holding glass and massive pieces of broken machinery. The warning of it's soon to be departure increased with it's vindicated noise.  
  
"Eva!" He called. She remained still as if she was unaware of his presents. "Eva! We have to get out of here!" He shouted to her once more, however she continued to stare straight ahead never noticing his feeble attempt at hobbling over to retrieve her. The planks quickly began unraveling themselves above her. And once again his legs seemed useless because despite his movement chunks of glass continued to fall around her not yet touching her flesh but each piece seemed determined to scar her skin.  
Seconds felt like hours but eventually the vengeful debris began to fall. Without thinking and focusing only on the form in front of him, Toad shoved Eva from her place, watching her fall to the ground to a safe spot nearby. With his strength entirely gone the only thing he observed before the remaining rubble fell was the shaken expression of Eva and the endless screaming his name as the final remainder fell on his weakened body and darkness took over every inch of his being.  
  
The sounds of Eva crying was the solitary proof that only one pulse remained in the room...  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
OK I realize that everybody who requested that no one dies in this fic is going to be really mad at me right now so I'm just going to hide under my bed and finish the last chapter of this fic. Believe it or not Toad is my favorite villain of all time...but every writer has a secret, evil plot. (Evil Laugh)  
  
Oh! And please review...happy comments people! Happy comments! 


	27. The Beginning of an End

OK wow! Let me just say that I have enjoyed writing every single second of this story! I thank my readers and frequent reviewers for keeping me motivated and inspired. Please know that this is indeed the last chapter for this fic. So please don't make any more requests on this end, (especially if it doesn't end the way you want it to)  
  
Thanks again!  
  
ENJOY!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
The sullen weather of fall had long passed. Eva had sat by on the comfortable cushion of her parent's bay window and watched pointlessly as the leaves finished their transition and collected themselves in the gutters and empty spaces of the street. Her eyes were focused but she could still only concentrate on the book that she clung to her chest. She glanced down at it thoughtfully hoping if she stared into the worn bindings long enough she could fall into the pages and escape the sadness that outlined her soul and every memory.  
  
She continued to reread the title: "Grimm's Fairy Tales." She sighed and breathed in the stiff leather that covered the book. She remembered the silent and gritty day she had found it. Somehow it had made it under her bed and she had paused the second she put it away, remembering exactly why it had been there. She almost cracked a regretful smile at the visual of the bruise it had left on Toad's ample features.  
  
It seemed like his face was always in her mind. Her dreams were littered with this smile and laughter. She knew why he was gone...and she hated herself for it. The miserable voice of the Clown still echoed in her mind, despite his departure he still insisted on causing more heartache before he was entirely gone. She replayed the scene in her head over and over: they had almost been there, but then suddenly she was on the floor watching helplessly as nearly three tons of shattering debris fell on Toad, crushing him in the process.  
  
She flinched away at the memory of the firefighters coming in just moments later as she was tearing at the rubble, cutting her hand in the fruitless process. Other than that the entire trip to the hospital and checkup seemed like a dream, the police interviews, being reunited with her parents, it was all one worthless action after another.  
  
Because all she wanted was him.  
  
Eva turned to a freshly marked page in the book in her scared hands. She glanced at them briefly: a reminder that she was the reason he was dead. At the moment the terrifying thought of cutting them off seemed better than having to look at them every day for the rest of her life.  
  
She turned the page she had marked many times before. And she noticed vaguely that they on had still dried tears from her last venture into it. She read the title silently to herself before she began to read out loud...  
  
"The Frog Prince."  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The fierce and hateful winter had left three blizzards, two ice storms, and plenty of used snow days from the schools. The weather had been without a doubt abnormal, but the local citizens took it as it came. And most of them were now grateful for the peaceful weather that was beginning to settle in around them.  
  
There was one woman however who did not feel such a way.  
  
And Eva let go of the steel grasp she had on the steering wheel of her car. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, just listening to the sounds of the winds landing on her vehicle. Her covered hand found it's way to the handle and soon she found herself outside of it.  
  
She leaned against the door and sighed. The steady winds of winter were slowly fading into the oncoming season of warmth. Yet Eva still wrapped the sweater tighter around her form. Hair that was once pulled up blew into her face as though they didn't want her to see the sight that lied in front of her. She ignored her body's reaction however and pushed the strand from her face. She stared at her boots as she hovered over the empty lot. It was clear now, yet Eva could remember a time where it coded the night sky with it's tragic dust and littered the ground with substances of all sorts. Now, however it stood empty as though unaware that a life had ever been taken there.  
  
Toad's life to be exact.  
  
Before Eva closed the door she gently picked up a small carnation, the flower was delicate and she handled it as though she feared it would die under the slight pressure of her fingers. She caught a glimpse of a squirrel in a tall oak tree a few yards away. She smiled slightly and re-crossed her arms over her chest before continuing on her journey.  
  
This place seemed quieter now. She recalled that day when she screamed at the police and firefighters to begin the search. She yelled and bellowed at them with tears of agony shredding down her face. The small group of confused state officials however didn't move toward the wreckage. Instead most of them just looked at her sadly before glancing at one another shrugging their shoulders.  
  
She didn't really blame them for not believing her. After all she had just gone through a "tragic experience." And as far as any of them knew, she was just a hysterical girl who had been abducted by a terrorist/mutant. By the time she arrived at the hospital she was oblivious to their assumptions and was soon fed a medical cocktail to wipe her consciousness away. It even took a while for her parents to believe her. Naturally of course she told them far more details than she had the police. Still they looked at her gravely for quite some time. Her mother grew older with worry every time she retold her story. Eventually her father grew just as tired of the tale and the appeared to be just as sick of humoring her, as she was of hearing,  
  
"Of course we believe you honey...but just maybe don't you think you're a little confused?"  
  
She sighed gruffly. Remembering the medication they wanted her to take for the nightmares, their sighs of alarm when she insisted she wanted to look for him herself...It just went on and on. Eva knew the odds of someone surviving something like that were less than great. But she had to keep trying, sitting by her window every night just waiting for him to come back to her...  
  
But he never did.  
  
And soon her hopes began to diminish. Slowly at first, but then before she knew it the knowledge of his death tolled on her like a heavy weight that refused to be lifted. Her heart hurt, her mind hurt, everything hurt.  
  
The first few months dangled like a useless piece of string. She hated everything that came in her path, there was no sense for school, eating, friends. Everything was bland and tasteless, she found herself sitting by her windows for whole nights at a time reading the Frog Prince until her eyes could no longer identify the words.  
Those nights of lacking sleep took a toll on her. But no one realized exactly how much until she fainted one day shortly after her 18th birthday. During that state of darkness she saw his face, only this time it wasn't mangled, or deformed as she had seen in her nightmares. Instead he smiled and looked on at her from a distance she couldn't reach, laughing at her messy hair and school uniform clothes.  
  
When she woke up she realized she had to move on.  
  
So she stood her now, the wind to her back. A year later and she still wondered...  
  
Eva leaned over the empty sight and placed the single flower on the gray and dusty lot. She smiled to the wind that insisted to stay with her and tilted her head to the side.  
  
"Good-bye Toad..." 


End file.
